Life Less Ordinary
by leonsgriever69
Summary: What would you do if you thought that what you had left behind came back? Would you scream, cry, or try to live with it? For Rinoa, that's exactly what's happened. Her past is cming back to haunt her at Balamb High School and its name is Squall Leonhart.
1. New Guy

Okay, here's another one from me. I've got about 20 new stories that I've each got about one chapter to (yes that is what I have been doing the past couple of weeks when I should have been working on The Last Reality) and I'm formulating a plan. I'm going to post a new story every so often (I'm thinking every week) and just pick one to work on when my main ones are giving me problems. That way, I'll get a lot of diversity. And in the long run, I'll get more done than when I would have doing just one at a time. Yes, I know, my logic is a little whacked, but hey, that's just part of who I am!

All right, this one is actually one that I have been planning to do for a long time, but I never actually got around to doing it. I've got about three of my friends reading it right now and they suggested that this be one of the ones I start with in my experiment. This is a high school fanfic and I'm changing just a few things. You'll notice some of the changes as I go along. I hope you all enjoy!

_Life Less Ordinary __"New Guy" _

Professor Mimid continued to drone on about the different effects that the Sorceress Wars had on the separate countries even though no one was paying any attention. In the back of the sleepy classroom, Rinoa thought that she was going to die from premature boredom. She tried to force her eyes open, but failed miserably at the feat. Selphie Tilmitt, her best friend, nudged her side sleepily and tossed something into her lap. It was a note. She opened it as Selphie woke herself up and peeked over her shoulder.

"What's it say?" she whispered excitedly.

"I'm getting there. Hold on!" Rinoa whispered back, pulling the note open.

_Rinoa, _

_ Hey. What's up? Guess what? A really good friend of mine is coming here from Esthar. I'll bet anything that you, Selphie, and Quistis will want to meet him. _

_ Later Days. –Seifer _

"A new guy?" Selphie whispered. "A friend of Seifer's?"

Rinoa was just as shocked as Selphie was. "I hope he's not as crazy…" With that the two girls burst into a giggling fit and had to stifle their sound so that Professor Mimid wouldn't hear them, not that the old man would ever notice. He was half deaf to begin with.

"I wonder if he's cute?" Selphie whispered, keeping her head down.

"Probably," Rinoa answered, staring at the words on the paper in her lap. "Considering the way Seifer said that we'd want to meet him." Selphie gave Rinoa a huge smile.

"Hey, don't forget about Irvine," Rinoa warned. Selphie pouted and went back to her sleepy state.

The bell that ended second period came and was greatly welcomed as Professor Mimid released them. Seifer caught up with Rinoa and Selphie as they left the classroom.

"Hey, Rin! Did you get my note?" Seifer asked as they walked down the hall.

"Yeah, I got it," she answered a little off-handedly while she dug in her pockets for a piece of gum.

"So, when's he getting here? What's he like? Does he have a girlfriend?" Selphie was just bursting with questions. After all, "curious minds want to know." That was her motto.

"Selphie, don't forget about Irvine!" Rinoa exclaimed, laughing. "You don't want him to get jealous, now do you?"

"Well, he doesn't seem to mind making me jealous when he flirts with anything that has boobs and a pretty face! So why can't I?" she retorted.

"Selphie, to answer your questions, he'll probably get here either today or tomorrow. You'll have to see for yourself what he's like. No, hell no, he doesn't have a girlfriend. Between you and me, he's a little picky," Seifer answered with a laugh.

The two girls just rolled their eyes.

"Geez, I'm starved!" Selphie exclaimed. "I wonder what we're having for lunch? I hope its not hotdogs…again."

"Well, if it is, then Zell will sure be happy." Rinoa replied. She didn't really mind hotdogs, but after a while, they did get old. Literally.

"Man, I get sick of hotdogs!" Seifer groaned. "Let's just pray for something that's not mixed with other meat that's just been lying around."

"Oh, gross!" Selphie squealed.

"Hey, Seifer?" Rinoa walked beside him. "How come your friend is moving here? If he's living in Esthar, why would he want to come to such a small place like Balamb?"

"It was his mom's decision. That's all I know." He answered her, not knowing anymore than she did.

"I know if _I_ lived in Esthar I wouldn't want to come here! Esthar is like the shopping capital of the world! That place has everything!" Selphie exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, along with crime and too many bad influences," Seifer added somewhat sadly.

"Is that why you moved here, too?" Rinoa questioned him, only receiving a nod, nothing more.

"Selphie, sometimes I think that you're becoming like Quistis. You've been so wrapped up about boys and shopping that you've turned into her." Rinoa tried to look seriously at her friend but failed and the two dissolved into another fit of giggles.

"Well, I'll catch you two later at lunch. I've got to get to next period before Professor 'Screech' yells at me again. Later days!" he said to them and took off down the other hall, meeting up with Zell and Irvine, who Selphie deliberately ignored.

"Why does he always say that even though we're going to see him in, like, an hour and a half at lunch?" Selphie asked Rinoa while she watched Seifer's retreating back. Irvine tried to make eye contact with her, but she kept on ignoring him.

"I don't know. This is Seifer we're talking about. Why does he do all the other stupid things that he's so well known for?" Rinoa was watching Irvine try to get Selphie to look at him. "You're still mad at him, aren't you?" she asked of her friend.

"Yep. And I've decided that I'm going to give him a taste of his own medicine," she replied, not even looking at the cowboy.

"Has he said anything yet?" Rinoa and Selphie were headed to third block which was Pre-Calculus. How fun!

"Nope, and I could care less if he did." She was actually being mean, which was out of character for her. She was usually extremely nice and sweet to everyone, but if the truth be told, Irvine had done some pretty stupid things that hurt her more than anyone else.

"But what if he doesn't care? What if he completely ignores your attempt to 'give him a taste of his own medicine?'" Rinoa and Selphie made it with time to spare and sat down at their desks.

"So what are we talking about?" Quistis had come in and took her seat in front of Rinoa.

"I'm giving Irvine a taste of his own medicine. Since he's always looking at other girls and trying to get with them, even though he says to me that I'm the only girl for him, I'm going to do the same. _That_ should get his attention, don't you think?" Selphie replied rather smugly.

"Oh, yeah! If you make them jealous, they'll come crawling. It works like a charm," Quistis agreed solemnly with Selphie.

"Then how come it hasn't worked for you yet?" Rinoa demanded, slamming her book onto her desk in aggravation.

"I'm just taking my time, that's all. I'm playing Seifer right into my hands. Rinoa, you have to remember: this process takes time, and I _know_ how to play my cards," Quistis replied so confidently that Rinoa had to hide her amusement so she wouldn't offend the blonde.

"I think that's code for: 'I haven't found a guy good enough to make Seifer jealous.'" Selphie laughed. Quistis stuck her tongue out.

"Don't you mean: 'I can't _get_ a guy good enough to make Seifer jealous?'" Rinoa corrected her, joining in her laughter. Selphie and Rinoa were rolling with laughter, and Quistis crossed her arms over her chest, slightly disgusted.

"Tsk. Fine. I get it. Ha. Ha. ha. That's very funny, Rinoa. I just can't control my laughter. It's so funny, it hurts." Quistis stated very dryly. "At least I have an active relationship with the opposite sex, Rinoa!" she pointed out.

"Hey, you don't have to bring that in! Just because I'm not interested in having a boyfriend right now doesn't mean that I don't have an active relationship with the 'opposite sex.'" Now it was Rinoa's turn to pout and cross her arms over her chest.

"Hmm. Sure. Right. Whatever you say, Rinoa." Quistis looked rather satisfied with herself, and Selphie covered her mouth, giggling.

"All right, class. Settle down. We've got a lot of work to do today." The Pre-Cal teacher, Professor Fitzgerald, came into the room. The entire class, a class of juniors and seniors, all got extremely quiet and for good reason, too. Professor Fitzgerald was an old, evil woman with short, red curly hair, tiny black eyes, wrinkles that she covered with layers of foundation, tight, thin lips that were plastered with bright red lipstick that clashed with her hair, and a temper that set to go off at any given time. If you got on her bad side, she made your life a living hell.

"Here we go," Selphie whispered as the Evil Eyes of Professor Fitzgerald scanned the room.

"It's going to be a long block," Rinoa whispered back, avoiding Professor Fitzgerald's horrid glances.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Ooh! That woman makes my skin crawl!" Selphie exclaimed as she sat down at their usual lunch table. She had goose bumps all over her arms.

"Tell me about it! She is so evil!" Quistis agreed, "And her outfits always clash. I think she dressed herself in the dark. Yuk!" She stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"At least we only have to deal with her for one semester. It could be worse, you know. It could be _much_ worse!" Rinoa pointed out.

"What could be worse?" Zell asked, joining them as usual.

"Probably you breath! Whew!" Irvine joked sitting down beside Selphie who immediately moved to another seat. He looked at everyone else with a look on his face that clearly said, "What'd I do?"

"My breath doesn't stink!" Zell exclaimed. He then looked at Rinoa and Selphie. "Does it?" They shook their heads, and he felt better.

"It will after you eat all those hotdogs!" Selphie exclaimed. "I think I may have just lost my appetite." She pushed her tray away from her. Yes, they were having hotdogs again.

"Hey! What's wrong with hotdogs?" Zell demanded, looking over his tray of nothing but hotdogs fondly.

"Besides everything? You don't want me to go into detail," she answered with sass.

"Please, don't waste your breath, Selphie. It'll just fall on deaf ears, anyway." Rinoa smiled.

"You're probably right."

"Hey! Where's Seifer? He hasn't shown up yet!" Quistis suddenly realized that her current target wasn't here.

"Maybe he really _did_ mean it when he said 'Later days!'" Selphie cried out.

"Was he in third block, guys?" Quistis turned to Irvine and Zell.

"Yeah. He's probably on his way. Either that or he's skipping," Irvine replied.

"He's probably skipping? Why on Earth would he skip lunch? Are you that big of an idiot?" Quistis demanded of Irvine who only shrugged.

"Well, he could have left early, you know," Zell said through a mouthful of hotdogs. Quistis made this disgusted, sour face.

"I bet it has something to do with that new guy!" Selphie pointed out quickly. "He said that his friend should be here either today or tomorrow. Maybe he's here!"

"Nah. Seifer wouldn't skip for that, I don't think." Quistis was pretty sure that Seifer wouldn't do such a thing.

"Geez. Professor 'Screech' is such a witch!" Ah, the voice that made everyone relax. Well, sort of. Seifer had just sat down and had a very weary look on his face. "Would you believe that she held me after class just so she could tell me that I always disrupt her class! I hate that woman!" He groaned and put his head down on the table.

"Well, there you have it! He isn't skipping!" Quistis announced happily.

"Who said anything about anyone skipping?" Seifer lifted his head, a little confused.

"We didn't know where you were, that's all, and _someone_ thought that you might have been skipping." Quistis gave Irvine an evil eye. Maybe Professor Fitzgerald had taught her something because he squirmed like a worm.

"No! I wasn't skipping! I was just with Professor Screech! She's mad at me again, but you know what's funny? I didn't say anything in class today!" Seifer laughed.

The bell suddenly rang, announcing that lunch was over, and everyone headed to the fourth and final block of the day.

Rinoa was glad that this day was almost done. She couldn't wait for the weekend to start, but she had this feeling that it was going to be a very interesting weekend.

"See you later, Rinny!" Selphie called, heading to the Science Hall. She waved to her and the rest of the gang as they parted until after school.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Seifer was sitting on the hood of his black Cobra, waiting for the rest of the gang to show up. School had finally ended and the weekend was here. He had plans for this weekend and did not intend on waiting for his friends to get outside the whole time.

For the past hour, he'd been texting his buddy who was currently on the drive here to Balamb. He figured he was about two hours away, and Seifer couldn't wait. His _best_ friend _ever_ was finally moving to Balamb. Ever since he moved, there had been talk that his best friend would move too. Seifer couldn't wait until his best friend came.

"Hey, Seifer!" Quistis called, coming over with Selphie and Rinoa. Now, all they had to do was wait for Irvine and Zell.

"So, it's Friday. What are we going to do?" Selphie asked, finally joining the guys. "I hope it has something to do with fun."

"Yeah," Seifer displayed a huge grin. "It's going to be fun, don't worry."

"Okay, spill it! What are you plotting?" Quistis demanded, leaning against his car.

"Ah, nothing. I just have this feeling that this weekend was going to be really, _really_ fun." Seifer jumped off the hood and around to the driver's side. Irvine and Zell had just come over.

"Okay, what's the plan?" Zell asked, throwing his books into his tiny car.

"We should meet at Joe's!" Selphie said suddenly, excitedly. "There's always stuff to do at Joe's!"

"What time?" Rinoa followed Zell's suit and threw her books into her own car.

"I don't know." Seifer shrugged. His phone started to vibrate again. He looked down at it and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Quistis asked him, peering over his shoulder.

"Nothing," he chuckled a bit and opened the car door. "How about we all meet in an hour?" He knew that he would be late because he was going to wait for his friend. But where's the harm in being fashionably late?

"Sounds like a plan!" Selphie said grinning broadly. She got into Rinoa's car, letting Irvine know that she was still mad at him.

It was then that they all parted. Things were going to be very interesting later that day and probably throughout the whole weekend.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Seifer was certainly in a good mood today, wasn't he?" Selphie stated, following Rinoa upstairs to the raven-haired girl's room. They were going to burn time at Rinoa's house before going down to Joe's.

"Yeah, he was. I guess he's just really happy that his friend is coming."

"I wonder what he'll be like? I hope he's not, like, really weird." She almost said like Seifer but thought against it. Come on, the boy wasn't even here to defend himself.

"Selphie, if he's a friend of Seifer's then he's bound to be weird!" Rinoa noticed that Selphie didn't take a crack at Seifer and decided that she would. Hey, someone's got to do the dirty work.

"Yeah, you're right!" Selphie broke out into a fit laughter, rolling around on Rinoa's bedroom floor. Rinoa just found Selphie funny and used that as her source for laughter.

"Oh! That's a good one!" Selphie finally ceased her laughing about five minutes later.

There was a knock at the door and Rinoa's mom, Julia, popped her head in.

"Hey girls! Listen, Rinny, before I head off to work, I've got some good news!" Julia looked rather excited.

"What?" Rinoa sat down at her desk and looked at her mom.

"My old friend, Raine, is moving here to Balamb! Isn't that exciting?"

"Raine?" Why did that name sound so familiar?

"Yes, Raine. She's been just about my best friend since junior high school! She's moving here and I do believe that her sons and nephews are coming, too. I think. I'm not too sure. Well, I just thought I should tell you." Her mother retreated again, and the two girls heard her footsteps descend the stairs.

"Hey, Rinny? You don't think that this friend of your mom's has anything to do with Seifer's friend, do you?" Selphie looked at Rinoa who was still staring at the spot where her mother had just stood.

"I don't think so. This friend of my mom's is from Galbadia. That's where they met, anyway, and Seifer's buddy is coming from Esthar. I don't think they have anything to do with each other." Rinoa sure hoped they didn't.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"I didn't think it was possible to have a town this incredibly small." A brown-haired guy said to Seifer, getting out of a black mustang. Two other guys followed out of the car.

"You'll get used to it, don't worry." Seifer smiled and smacked the other guy on the back and the two shared an interesting handshake.

"So what's the source of entertainment here?" A guy with black hair, long and tied into a small ponytail at the base of his neck asked Seifer. "After an eight hour drive and six energy drinks, I'm pumped!"

"Well, if you guys are up to it, I can show you. It's a place called Joe's. It's like a club without the alcohol and stripping." He replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"As long as the place has food, I'm up for it!" Another guy, shorter than the other two with blonde spiky hair with multicolored tips spoke. In a way, he kinda looked like Zell.

"Yep, there's food and music. It's actually a pretty cool place." Seifer wanted to drag them down there so he could introduce them to his friends. Some of them had been really curious.

"Sure, why not?" the black-haired guy said.

"Let's go," The guy who drove agreed.

"Good. I was supposed to meet some friends there an hour ago, anyway." Seifer led them into the house, helping carry stuff. They just set it inside the door and then walked back out again.

"So in other words, we were going whether or not we wanted to?" The guy with the brown hair asked.

"Yep." Seifer grinned at him.

"You haven't changed, Seif!" he laughed, getting into Seifer's car. Seifer nodded and followed them into his own car.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Where is he? Doesn't he know that an hour means an hour?" Quistis looked a little mad. How on Earth was she supposed to charm him into falling in love with her if he wasn't here to charm?

"Relax, Quistis. He probably had some stuff to do. You know how guys are. They put everything to the last minute," Rinoa reassured her friend, sitting on a couch with her nose stuck in a book.

The gang was currently hanging out at a place called Joe's. Joe's was Balamb's teen hangout where just about everyone went to have fun after school. The ages ranged from 13 to 18. The place was set up like club with a bar and a stage. There was no alcohol anywhere within the building, but one could get food and a large variety of sodas. There was a jukebox and a dance floor, too. Throughout the whole the building there were tables, chairs, couches, a big screen TV with cable, a pool table, and a lot of other stuff, too. The far corner was where Rinoa, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine, Zell, and Seifer always hung out. It was set up like a lounge with several couches, a few tables, and some chairs arranged in an off square. Right now, the place was still pretty empty, but it was still early in the afternoon. Most of the teens came in at around 5:30 and 6:00.

"Yes, well, how am I supposed to work my magic on him if he isn't _here_?" Quistis demanded of her friend who was barely even paying attention to her now.

"What magic? Oh, you mean your black magic?" Irvine asked of her, laughing at his little joke. "Beware! She's a witch!" he succeeded in getting Zell laughing and making Quistis rather agitated.

"I was talking about my charm for your information!" she replied heatedly, "And who even asked for your opinion anyway?"

"Nobody did. I just thought that I would put my two cents in." He grinned at her, pushing her even closed to the edge.

"Well, next time, don't." It was apparent that Quistis didn't like Irvine very much.

Selphie, who usually at this time took up for Irvine, was still ignoring him. She just let Quistis be her nasty self to him and was secretly even cheering the blonde on. So far, he hadn't even noticed that Selphie was even mad at him, which started to crumble her perfect plan. If that didn't get to him, then what did? There had to be something! This whole thing was just making her mad!

Quistis continued to pace the area, watching the door and waiting for Seifer to walk through it. She'd never been so, for lack of a better word, paranoid in her entire life. When would it end? Well, that answer was easy: whenever Seifer decided to show up.

"Stop worrying, Quistis. He'll show up eventually. Sheesh. You're acting like a Mother Hen." Rinoa said from behind her book. She was watching Quistis out the corner of her eye, and it was somewhat amusing.

"I am not a Mother Hen. I just need him to be him to be here so I can charm him into falling madly in love with me!" she pretty much yelled, not caring that the few other individuals were giving her odd looks.

"Who are you charming into falling madly in love with you?" spoke a voice they all knew very well. Quistis quickly turned around and produced her best flirty, innocent smile that she could muster. Only, when she saw the scene before her, her entire jaw dropped completely along with Selphie's too.

Standing there with Seifer was three other guys that they had never seen before. All three of them were extremely hot, and Quistis could hardly believe it. She had hit the jackpot big time.

"Quistis, shut your mouth, you're not a codfish," Rinoa spoke again from her book. She was by no means affected by the guys with Seifer. Yet, anyway. She'd only briefly glanced at them.

Quistis, in response to Rinoa's command, quickly whirled around to give the girl an evil look before turning around to face Seifer and his companions with another _winning_ smile.

"So, Seifer, who are these _handsome_ gentlemen?" she asked so sweetly that one might have thought she was made of sugar. Yeah, right. Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"Wow. She's laying it on thick, isn't she?" The guy with the blond hair laughed, elbowing Seifer. The other two guys just nodded. The one with the brown hair was peering around Quistis to the girl who sat on the couch with the book. She looked familiar.

"Seifer! Dude! You said one friend! You didn't say anything about three!" Irvine lifted his cowboy hat, laughing.

"Seriously, man!" Zell agreed.

Seifer laughed at this and looked to his three pals with a big grin. "To tell you the truth, I didn't know either. I just thought that he was coming." He pointed to the guy with the brown hair, who stood with his arms over his chest, still staring at Rinoa.

"Well, are you going to stand there like an idiot or are you going to introduce us?" his friend with the long, black hair asked.

"Oh, right!" Seifer reared his head back and laughed. "Guys, this is Drag," he pointed to the guy who had just spoken. He then turned to the blond guy. "This is Zion. And this," he pointed to the brown-haired guy. "Is my best friend, Squall."

Rinoa looked up then. All the sounds around her immediately silenced themselves as she finally made eye contact with the guy who had been staring at her. She looked at him closely, thinking that she was hearing things. Were her eyes and ears both deceiving her? In one way, she hoped they were, but the larger, more rational part knew that she had heard everything correctly.

_Oh no. Not you._

After what felt like an eternity of silence, Rinoa went back to her book. She could feel the heat on her cheeks and knew that they were probably as red as they could get. She knew that her best bet would be to play it cool and ignore everything, concentrating on nothing but the paperback book in her hands.

"And who are these lovely ladies?" The guy that Seifer called Drag asked, eyeing Quistis from top to bottom. She smiled at him, figuring that a little flirting wouldn't hurt too much.

Seifer went on to introduce the rest of the gang, pointing to each of them. "That's Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Zell, and Rin-"

"Rinoa Caraway." Squall finished the name for him, crossing his arms over his muscular chest and smirking.

"I wanna take a wild guess that maybe you two know each other?" Seifer asked, looking from Rinoa on the couch to Squall standing beside him.

"We've met before. Briefly," Rinoa said rather tersely, keeping her eyes locked on the words printed on the page. Her mind was screaming, "Don't look at him! Don't look at him!" Unfortunately, it was becoming increasingly difficult not to do so. "And it's Heartilly."

"Have you now?" Quistis wondered aloud, "And I've never heard about this little rendezvous before? For shame!" She placed her hands on her hips in mock anger.

"It was a long time ago, okay? I-I barely even remember him!" Rinoa threw back in her own defense. Quistis raised an eyebrow in question of her friend. Rinoa's cheeks now burned almost painfully. She jumped up suddenly and grabbed her jacket quickly. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'll talk to you guys later. I've got a lot of homework that I don't want to save for the last minute." Rinoa headed for the door, walking as far away from this new guy as possible.

They all watched her leave, confused and even a little amused. She was undoubtedly hiding something.

"Um, guys?" Selphie finally broke the silence that had followed Rinoa's hasty exit. They all looked at her. "None of our teachers gave us any written work. All we have to do this weekend is study. Today was an off day." Selphie bit her lower lip nervously.

"Oh, she's hiding something!" Quistis laughed mischievously. And they all knew that meant that she was determined to know each and every dirty little secret.

"Hey, uh, Squall?" Irvine called to the guy. He nodded at him. "What do you know about this? You guys have met before, right?"

Squall sighed and ran his hand through his long, brown hair. He looked back at the door, then to the group that was eagerly awaiting his answer. "You know, I have no idea. I can't remember back that far." He smiled at their disappointment.

_Ah, gotta love the little white lie. J _

A/N: Well, there it is: my "new" story. I was a little hesitant to post this one, but one of my friends talked me into it. Before I do anything else, I'll tell you guys a little bit about it. As you may have noticed (or if said before, can't remember) this is a high-school based fanfic. I've always wanted to do one but was afraid of how you all would react. I really hope you like it. Some things are a little different. I had to change a few things but I will try my best to stay real close to the original character profiles made up by Final Fantasy. I just wanted to do something different. As part of the changes, I put the main characters in different situations with a little bit more history to them (but not quite as in depth as with my Time Trilogy) and I changed two little tiny things that just felt right. I brought Raine and Julia into this. I just really wanted them alive. And I also added "something" to the Leonhart/Loire family. All the characters (main) are in high school. They are seniors, some with a severe case of senioritis. I based several characters on my friends at school. Like Quistis, for instance. I gave her some of the characteristics of my best friend, Megan. Some of you remember Meg, right? She was my crazy editor for Time Goes On. I think she's doing the rest of the trilogy, not sure. Anyway, I made a few adjustments there. I also put some of my friends into Drag and Zion. They are my original masterpieces at the moment, and that's not counting the characters from TGO. He, he, he! Well, I'm going to shut up now, and get working on the next chapter. R&R! I'm dying to know what you all think!

And yes, for you Last Reality fans, THIS is what I've been doing when I was supposed to be working on TLR. Sorry! It'll be done soon! I'm just having technical difficulties. Okay, never mind, I'm just being lazy! J

E/N: Uhh... What's with the "J" at the end of the story and your A/N, Katelyn? Was I supposed to edit it out, or is it your new "catch phrase" since Seifer is using "Later days?" JJJJJJJJJ... Oh yeah, I'm back, fellas!

And when I read "anything that has boobs and a pretty face," guess which darling buddy of ours I thought of? 'Tis true, he even hits on you! Mwahaha!

Quistis is a whore. Whore, whore, whore! I will not be Quisty! -denounces the title of Quistis- And for the record, Quistis is EXACTLY like Irvine on Estrogen. I do NOT flirt with anything with a penis and a sexy smile! asdfadghcxjasdfasdf!!!


	2. Memories

Well, here's chapter two and I'm still not getting any work on TLR. Heh! I think it's almost amusing. Oh, I changed a few things about the Caraway Mansion. And I couldn't remember, is Angelo a boy or a girl? I just guessed…

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy series, characters, places, and nada. I'm a Poo white kid.

_Chapter Two _

_"Memories" _

Rinoa sat up in her room searching through her closet for her old scrapbook. She wanted to see the pictures of the past she had tried so hard to forget. She went through box after box, looking for that one thing. She'd search the whole house upside-down if she had to, but that wasn't necessary. She finally found it in the very back of her closet and was surprised that it was still in rather good condition. Staring at its cover, she was almost afraid to open it.

The book was cream colored and large. On the cover was a picture of her old house in Deling City. It really wasn't a house. It was more of a mansion, appropriately named the Caraway Mansion. It was brick, three stories tall and surrounded by trees. It sat on just about 18 acres and was located just outside of the city. If one wanted to be technical, he or she could state that the house itself was situated within the Deling City limits but the land was outside of those limits. Rinoa had spent much of her time inside that great house, either inside the library or her room. Her "father" hardly ever allowed her do anything so she wasn't able to do much. Rinoa had to smile to herself as she remembered that old house. It had more secrets than she had found and the several that she had found usually left her with regret.

She ran two of her fingers down over the cover of the scrapbook. She was afraid to open it, but knew she was going to rather she actually had the desire to or not. She had already wasted too much time searching for this scrapbook, and she now felt it as part of her duty to look through it. After all, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

Rinoa stood and carefully carried the old book out of her closet and over to her bed. She sat down and leaned her back against the headboard and balanced the large book on her knees. She stared for a few more minutes at the front cover before finally opening it to se the contents within.

She sat there for just about an hour and a half, looking through the book, reliving the memories that she had kept buried for so long. She may just be seventeen, but she had lived through much more than people thought. She flipped through the thick pages, looking at some things more than others. She was actually looking for one thing in particular. She knew that it had to be in here somewhere, but she was having mixed feelings about getting to it.

She hadn't really meant to lie to her friends about knowing that guy. She had known him rather well a long time ago, but that was then and this is now. She had barely recognized him back at Joe's, so it was obvious that he had changed at least some. But she still wanted to find that picture. She just wanted to see into the past.

She eventually found what she had been searching for. It was still as she partially remembered. It had a page all to itself, decorated with little hearts and stars and messages like, "Whatever," and "Friends Forever." She had to mentally ask herself what she had been thinking. And after a few moments, she received a shrug from herself. She had no idea what she had been thinking back then and frankly, she honestly didn't care. What happened in the past, could stay in the past. It didn't matter to her, and she was determined to not let it bother her.

She closed the old book without even going through the rest of it. She returned it to the box she had found it in, allowing it to become forgotten once again, allowing it to die with the past. She had gotten what she had been searching for and no longer needed it. She actually didn't even want to see it anymore. It was a part of her that she wanted to die and never have anything to do with anymore. It wasn't as if all her memories were bad from her old home, but she did have enough of those bad memories to make her wish to forget and keep going like that part of her never happened. Yes, it may be an unhealthy way to do things, but if it stopped her from getting hurt again, then she was okay with it.

Rinoa returned to her bed and tried to push the painful thoughts from her mind. She really had no interest in reliving all those things, but she had brought it onto herself when she went searching for that old scrapbook. She had never thought that she would ever have to remember those old memories. It was strange.

"I need to stop dwelling in the past." Rinoa whispered to herself. A small noise caught her attention and she looked over at the door as a frown crept up to her face. Angelo pushed the door open with her nose and stuck the rest of her head in, grinning at Rinoa and showing a pink tongue.

"Hey, girl." Rinoa smiled and patted the bed in front of her, and Angelo ran over and up onto the bed, curling up in Rinoa's lap. Rinoa scratched the dog behind the ears lovingly, while she thought. Things were certainly going to change now. She was afraid that they weren't going to be good changes either. It was definitely going to be difficult to adapt to these new changes. These three guys were from Esthar. Esthar people were crazy, and one could expect their weekends to have a little more spice in them from now on. Maybe that was a good thing. It was starting to get pretty dang dull around this little town. There was only so much that one could do here without getting bored very quickly.

"What do you think is going to happen, girl?" Rinoa asked the dog that was resting on her lap and bed. The dog didn't answer her but just licked her hand affectionately. It would have been a lot easier if her canine companion could talk. Maybe then, life wouldn't be so hard. Rinoa smiled at this thought as she scratched Angelo's belly. Even though the dog couldn't speak, she still enjoyed her company. Rinoa had had Angelo for as long as she could remember and didn't know what she would do without the energetic, loving dog.

Rinoa saw her cell phone begin to vibrate over on her desk and knew that it had to be her friends. She had left Joe's very quickly, and they were probably all curious as to why she had behaved so strangely. Well, as far as she was concerned, they could stay curious, because her lips were sealed.

She sighed and reached over for it. Quistis and Selphie both wouldn't let her by without an explanation. Yes, her friends were like that. Just as her hand was about to grab the phone, she stopped. They could wait. She needed some time to herself for a while. She needed to clear her thoughts.

The phone continued to vibrate, but Rinoa never answered it.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Well, she's not picking up," Selphie dropped her cell phone onto the counter. Most of the gang was still at Joe's. Everyone had been introduced to Squall, Drag, and Zion, and then the guys left with Seifer. The past twenty minutes had been pretty boring, and Selphie was seriously considering leaving.

"Just leave her alone, my gosh." Zell stated. "If she knows him, then she knows him. It's really none of our business."

"It may not be your business, but it's soon going to be mine. A hot guy like that? And she _knows_ him! I want to know this juicy story. Come on, you know it's going to be good!" Quistis rubbed her hands together and an evil smile was produced.

"Quistis! What if Rinny doesn't want us to know? She won't tell us if she doesn't want us to know." Selphie exclaimed.

"But, Selphie, we don't have to talk to Rinoa. We have the other member of this flame here now, so all we have to do it work our feminine charm on him, you know bat our eyes, and we'll have the whole story. It's simple."

"And what makes you think that he's going to talk to us anyway?" Zell demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, please. He's from Esthar. All guys from Esthar are conceited, and if they've been with a hot girl, they're bound to tell all." Quistis pointed out, but then drew back a little. "No, that's not right." She looked over at Irvine flirting with a bunch of cheerleaders and smirked. "All guys are pretty much like that."

"Oh, I beg to differ!" Zell yelled. No one paid too much attention to him, and he began to pout. "And don't you remember? He said he couldn't remember back that far."

Quistis rolled her eyes and had a sudden urge to smack Zell on the side of the head. Sometimes he was just so stupid. "Zell, are you _honestly_ that blind? He was clearly lying! I'm willing to bet that he remembers. Oh, yes. He remembers."

"Quistis, I really don't think this is such a good idea. If Rinny really wanted us to know, then she would have said something by now. And she hasn't. I think we should just drop it." Selphie insisted, drumming her fingers on the countertop.

"That's because we never asked. It's simple!" Quistis slipped off the stool and fixed her skirt. She flashed them an evil smile and stalked off.

"Besides, have you ever known Quistis to just drop something? He just keeps on and on and on until you give in. She's not going to let this on go." Zell crushed the can left by Quistis and tossed it into the recycling bin that sat a few feet away.

"I'm just afraid that Quistis is going to dig up something that Rinny really doesn't want dug up, you know?" Selphie sighed. Rinoa was her best friend, and she didn't want to see her get hurt.

"I'm sure if Quistis went too far, she'd pull back. I don't think she's that cruel. Rinoa's her friend too. I don't think she'd intentionally hurt her." Zell tried to reassure her.

"I hope not. Rinny's my best friend." The brown-haired girl sighed.

"I think it should be okay. Don't worry." Zell patted her shoulder gently.

"Thanks, Zell." She reached around and hugged him. "You really know how to cheer a person up!"

Zell laughed and hugged her back before she let go. "I'm glad I can help." He started to walk towards the exit but turned around and looked at her. "Do you need a ride home?"

Selphie grinned. "Yeah, my car's almost fixed." She grinned and grabbed her coat and other stuff before running over to join him.

"Well, that's a relief." Zell laughed as the two headed out the door.

It felt like such a strange Friday. No one was at Joe's. The place was pretty much deserted, and it wasn't even 9 o'clock yet. Things were definitely strange to change, and they were either going to be good changes or bad changes. It would take time before they knew the outcome of those changes.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall sat in Seifer's living room with Drag and Zion. He'd seen Seifer's parents again and they were so happy to see him, they said. He'd known Seifer and his family since he was really young. The guy was his best friend, and when he left Esthar two years ago, things got boring. There's only just so much you can do without your best friend.

But that wasn't what was stuck on his mind. When he saw Rinoa, he didn't quite recognize her at first. She had changed a lot since he last saw her in Deling City, but damn, did she look good! When Seifer had started to introduce her, he knew it had to be her. It may have been awhile since he saw her, but he still remembered her. In fact, he remembered all of their adventures, everything that happened back then. And he was slightly disturbed that she said she didn't remember him. Granted, he had been expecting her to run and jump into his arms, but still. Why had she done that? They used to be such good friends. What happened? True, they hadn't seen each other in almost sic years, but would you forget a person you spent so much time growing up with? It bothered him. It really bothered him.

"Dude? Are you alright?" Seifer plopped down on the couch.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. I guess that eight hour drive has finally gotten to me." Squall yawned. He doubted if he could sleep even if he tried. There was too much on his mind.

"hey, Squall? Are we actually going to move into the house tomorrow?" Zion asked.

"That's the plan. Mom said she'll be here in the morning. I don't know the exact time, but knowing her, it'll be right at the crack of dawn." Squall answered. He had to stifle another yawn and felt his eyes water.

"Oh, yay! We get to see Auntie Raine's bright and smiling face before the sun comes up. It's going to be a long day, I can already feel it." Drag sighed. He let his hair hand loose out of the ponytail, and it hung past his shoulders, curling at the ends.

"have you guys even seen your new house yet?" Seifer asked, staring at the large TV in front of him that Zion was seemingly changing the channels on, trying to find something good to watch.

"We've seen pictures. That's just about it. We haven't actually seen the house in the flesh or whatever. We've got the address, though." Drag replied, hitting Zion with a pillow, trying to get him to pick a channel and stick with it.

"Where is it?"

"On the other side of this neighborhood. I think the street's called Avenue Q or something like that." Zion shrugged, rubbing his head where his brother hit him with the pillow. It actually hurt.

"Oh, so you're moving into Selphie, Quistis, and Rinoa's section of the neighborhood." Seifer evaluated for them, considering he knew the neighborhood better.

Squall's eyebrows shot up when he heard Rinoa's name. So he was going to live near Rinoa? How interesting. He'd have to find a good excuse to "pester" her.

"This neighborhood is pretty big, isn't it?" Zion took his attention away from the TV and looked back at Seifer. Drag found that a wonderful opportunity to steal the remote and hide it. He whipped it right out of his hand and it took the other guy a few minutes to realize what had happened.

Seifer laughed at the two of them as they began to fight for the remote. Actually, it wasn't much of a fight. Drag just had a hand on Zion's forehead, keeping him from moving while he put the TV on a channel that was tolerate and the stuck the remote in the pocket of his baggy pants, out of Zion's reach. Zion muttered, "Oh, Man!" And plopped himself back down where he had been previously seated.

"Yeah, it's pretty big, but only because the houses are huge. If you ever see Quistis or Rinoa's houses, you'd understand. They both live in, huge, mansion-like houses!" Seifer exclaimed. Squall wanted to say something, but thought against it. "But anyway, from the pictures you've seen, do you like it?"

"It seems okay. I can live with it." Drag smiled when a Bud Light commercial came on. A funny memory popped into his head about the time the four of them had gone to a party with four other hot girls. That had been a real fun night.

"What's with the grin, Drag?" Zion asked his brother, smacking his knee. Drag gave him a dirty look, which was returned by a sheepish grin.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking of something."

"What?" Seifer, Zion, and Squall all asked in unison.

"I just remembered the time when we all went to that huge party Nikki threw with those for girls that we didn't even know." They all nodded, but knew where his memory was going. They all remembered that particular memory. Good times.

"Oh, very nice." Zion closed his eyes and produced a goofy grin.

Out of the blue, Seifer, Squall, and Drag started laughing at the other guy. He was so pathetic, but hey, boys will be boys.

* * *

A/N: Well, there's chapter two? What do you think so far? I like it. It's way more relaxed than my other (how many was it again?) million stories. I guess that's why I've written a whole lot more for this one in the past month and a half. Once again, I've gotten the first ten chapters in a notebook that I'm typing up and posting as I get there. I'm still trying to work on my other stories, too, but something is telling me to finish this one first. I'm sorry. I just have to do the difficult things, don't I? Anyway, I'm going to finish my math homework. Later Days! (You thought I had forgotten, didn't you?) R&R

And as for that "something" you'll just have to wait until chapter 9, Kitsu!


	3. Denial

Hey, hey! It's me again! You know, I realised something. I'm working on this one story more than I thought I would. Oh, well. I like it. That makes me happy. Here's chapter 3. I won't bore you with my usual ramblings. Oh, and thank you for telling me Angelo was a male dog! I had no idea! My mom and I got into this big debate about poor Angelo's sex, but I won't bore you with that!

**Life Less Ordinary**

**_"Denial"_**

Saturday started as a pretty boring day. Instead of all the feelings of this weekend being fun and interesting, it was nothing short of flat out dull. Yep, dull.

Rnoa spent the better part of Saturday locked up in her room. She was still a little wary of seeing or speaking to her friends again. Knowing them, they'd probably bother her until she broke down and told all. Rinoa knew that she had to stand her ground firmly. When she thought they needed to know, she'd tell them. Until then, she wasn't going to speak a word. That part of her past was dead. Everyone and everythingthat had been there was dead to her was dead now. Her life began when she moved to Balamb, and as far as she was concerned, shehad beenborn in Balamb, not Deling. Denial can be a very ugly thing when you think about it.

She helped her mom around the house, cleaning up and doing some chores that she usually did after school. Julia had stated that she was surprised that her daughter wasn't hanging out with her friends, which was what she usually did every Saturday. Instead, Rinoa had opted to stay home for the better part of the day. She had gotten up at about 8 o'clock this morning. She was always up early. It was a habit. She developed that perticular habit a long time ago. One individual could be thanked for that, but she refused to even speak to the person responisble.

Rinoa's mother, however, had been up much earlier. She'd been up and about since five thrity. She would come in every now and then to get various things and then be out again. She gave Rinoa the address where she would be all day if she needed her for anything. Rinoa figured that she was helping her friend move into her new house, and they were probably catching up in the process.

It was ten thirty now. Rinoa had finished the few chores that she had left to do that weren't done during the week, andnow she sat on the couch in the den with a good book. She wanted it to be a peaceful, normal day with no interruptions. Naturally, she didn't get that lucky, but one would have to see. It could happen. Doubtful, but it could happen. She had left her cell phone upstairs in her room for a good reason. If she wasn't there to hear it ring, then there was no way that it could disturbher. Okay, so she felt a little bad about ignoring her firneds, but she just didn't want to dig up the past. She'd kept it behind her for a good reason, and she had planned on keeping it behind her. Well, that was the plan, anyway.

Rinoa had just gotten to a good part in thebook when the doorbell sounded. She groaned and went to answer it, knowing 99 out of 100 that it was Selphie and Quistis. She figured she had better come up with a good excuseand fast. When Rinoa reached the door, she saw a glimpse of yellow through the glass that stood for decorational purposes on either side of the door. She had been right. It was Selphie. Who esle has a favorite color of yellow and wears it every hour of every day. No, wait. Don't answer that.

She opened the large door to find both Selphie and Quistis standing before her. Neither of themm looked too happy, and she had a good idea why, too.

"Oh, hi guys!" Shetried to put enthusiasm and surprise in her voice, but it didn't work and failed miserably. She sighed and motioned for them to come inside, not that they really needed an invitation.

"Rinoa Heartilly!" Quistis exclaime in that voice that meant you were in a lot of trouble. She pu her hands to her hips impatiently for an added effect.

"If you're here to chew me out for leaving Joe's, I-" Rinoa started to say but Selphie cut her off.

"Oh, we're not here to chew you out, whatever gave you that idea?" Selphie asked her innocently. She had gone from being mad to suddenly verysweet, which Rinoa found suspicious. What were they plotting?

"Yes. Why would we chew out our _best friend_ in the whole wide world?" Quistis asked in the same exact way that Selphie had. Rinoa raised an eyebrow at the two and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Okay, what are you two plotting?" She demanded, tapping her foot on the hard wood floor impatiently and giving them a stern glare, much like her mother's.

"What makes you think we're plotting something?" Quistis smirked while Selphie stood beside her, nodding.

"Because, Quistis Trepe, the only time that _you_ are ever acting sweet is : 1. You're trying to win over Seifer, 2. You want something, or 3. You're plotting something." Rinoa stated rather bluntly.

Quistis' jaw dropped in absolute surprise. She stood there staring at Rinoa fora few moments in disbelief. Selphie covered her mouth and giggled, silently applauding Rinoa.

"Well, I am surprised!" Her voice changed drastically from her previous tone.

"Got ya!" Rinoa smiled wickedly. Quistis scowled at her friend and turned her back on the othet two.

"Okay, so what are you doing here, acting so suspicious?" Rinoa aksed, heading to the kitchen and motioning for the other two to follow.

"Well, if you must pry." Selphie responded grabbing a chair at the small kitchen table.

"I must. I must." Rinoa handed them both sodas.

"We were hoping you could tell us a little bit about your past rendez-vous with Seifer's best friend." Quistis spat out. She was just a little mad at Rinoa for what she said, even though it was all true, but she sure didn't need Rinoa to tell her that.

"You know, I'm not in the least bit surprised. I had a hunch that was the reason you guys had come." Rinoa sighed as she joined them at the table.

"Well, since you foresaw us coming, then you should go ahead and tell us." Quistis suggested, mirroring the wicked smile Rinoa had worn previously.

"Uh, I don't think so." Rinoa returned the smile and crossed her arms over her chest again. They weren't going to get it out of her that easily. Oh, no.

"Oh, come on, Rinny! We're your best friends! Why on Earth can't you tell us?" Selphie demanded, speaking up for the first time in the past couple of minutes.

"Because there's nothing to tell! Honestly!" Rinoa insisted, staring at the table. She wasn't convincing them at all, and she knew it, too. But how do you tel them something you promised to keep buried behind you?

"Yeah, right! I'm willing to bet that there are some juicy stories between you two!" Quistis rasied her eyebrows and stared at poor Rinoa, who squirmed in her seat. She didn't like being put on the spot. She always cracked like an egg.

"Quistis!" Selphie slapped her friend on the arm as she watched Rinoa's chheks flush. "Quit doing that!"

"There's nothing juicy about my past, believe me." Rinoa continued to stare at the table as she spoke those words slowly, trying to maintain her composure.

"Then why are you blushing?" Quistis demanded. You know, here were times when she just plain enjoyed being evil.

_That's something you don't need to know._ Rinoa thught to herself. She suddenly began to shudder and immediately felt very cold.

"You know, if it's killing you so badly that you have just got to know, why don't you go ask him!" Rinoa pushed back away from the table and stood. She was now mad, but not at Selphie. No, she found herself mad at Quistis. Why in Hyne's name was she pushing her like this? Why did she have to be so damn curious? Hadn't she ever heard that curouisty kiled the cat!

"he said he couldn't remember back that far!" Quistis used in defense. She had a feeling that he remembered perfectly well, but she wanted to try and get it out of Rinoa first.

"Oh, bullshit!" Rinoa exclaimed. She usually didn't cuss very often, but right now, she was mad, reaaly mad. "I'm sure he knows! And I'm sure he wouldn't mind telling the whole world! It's not like it's a big **_secret_** or anything!" Rinoa threw her hands up and stalked out of the room. Selphie and Quistis followed her.

"Then why won't you tell us?" Quistis demanded as they followed her back into the den where she planned on returning to her book. They knew where the door was, and she hoped it didn't hit them on the ass on the way out.

"I was being sarcastic!" She screamed. "I figured you of all people would know what that was!"

"Oh, I know what it is all right. I am the QUEEN of sarcasm!" Quistis yelled back. She was starting to become a bit mad at the raven-haired girl. There was no need for Rinoa to be such a bitch. All she did was ask a simple question.

"Quisty! Rinny! Stop it! This is ridiculous! You guys shouldn't be acting like this! You'd think you guys hated each other or something!" Selphie exclaimed, trying to stop a war.

"Well, if she keeps on, we just might!" Rinoa crossed her arms over her chest, a common habit for her, and leaned against a wall. The den was just down the hall. She could make a run of it and simply lock herself in there, but something was holding her back.

"Oh, please. Spare me. All I did was ask a simple question, and you snapped!" Quistis glared at Rinoa, who refused to meet eye contact with the blonde and focused on something else.

"Oh no,no,no! You didn't ask anything! You demanded that I tell you! That's not asking!" Rinoa yelled. She was totally beyond mad now.

"Oh, whatever! I was just curious! You're the one who went all crazy on us!" Quistis yelled back.

"All right! All right! **ALL RIGHT!**" Selphie screamed over both of them.

Quistis and Rinoa looked at Selphie in complete shock. She'd never exploded like that before. Wow.

"Now that I have your attention, why don't both of you cool off? You're both acting like total children! And it's totally ridiculous! Now, Quisty, if Rinny isn't ready to tell us, then we need to respect her decision. Maybe she'll tell us, maybe not. And Rinny, I'm not mad at you or anything." Selphie said to both of her friends. Rinoa still stood with her back against the wall, arms crossed over her chest and staring forward. Quistis had her head hung, disappointed that she had let herself act that way to her friend.

"Have you been listening to your parent's marriage counselor?" Rinoa asked Selphie, but Quistis interrupted before Selphie could exclaime that she hadn't.

"Rinoa, I'm sorry. I guess I just let me curiosity get the better of me, and I shouldn't have. If you want to be mad at me, I understand."

"Nah. I'm not mad. I just planned on keeping things buried and then I see him again and it makes things rather difficult to keep them all behind me." Rinoa sighed and pushed herself off the wall. She headed back down the hall to the den with Selphie and Quistis in two.

"So were you guys friends or what?" Selphie aksde her as they entered the warm den. If she wasn't going to tell them the full stroy just yet, then maybe she would release a few pieces to give them a general idea.

"No. We weren't friends." Rinoa couldn't believe what she was saying. Was there someone else controlling her brian and the words that came out of her mouth?

"Oh, so you two didn't get along ver well? Or are you just in denial?" Quistis asked.

"No, I'm not in denial. We never did get along. He was one of my brother's friends." Rinoa answered, looking away from the other two. Where were these lies coming from?

"One of your brother's freinds? Ooh!" Selphie grimaced. Rinoa had an older brother named Tony. He was two years older than Rinoa and enliste in the Galbadian Army. She hardly ever saw him. Well, anyway, part of that had been true. He had hung out with Tony when he was out of school. They seemed to get alonmg well enough, so that wasn't much of a lie.

"Yeah, so I didn't get along with him very much. I prety much avoided him." She was putting herself deeper and deeper into ahole that she knew she might not be able to get herself out of.

"So him being here is definitely not a good thing for you?" Selphie asked Rinoa.

"Right. I never thought I would see him again, and then he shows up right when I finally manage to bury it all. I'm a little upset." Rinoa sighed.

"We noticed." Quistis whispered. "Considering you've been avoiding everyone for the past eighteen hours."

"Sorry about that." Rinoa blushed and grinned at them sheepishly.

"It's okay!" The other two said in unison.

"Do you think things are gonna change?" Selphie asked after a few moments of silence.

"Probably." Rinoa muttered with distaste.

"And who knows if they're going to be good changes. With our luck, everything is going to go all downhill from here." Quistis grumbled out loud.

"We seem to have that kind of luck, don't we?" Rinoa smiled at her.

"It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" The blonde responded. Rinoa nodded.

"So, um, Rinny? Are you going to stop coming to Joe's after school?" Selphie asked somehwat sadly.

"I'll still come.." Rinoa asnwered, reassuring her nervous friend.

"She'll just be avoiding Mr. Esthar." Quistis finished for the other girl.

"Pretty much." Rinoa agreed. She chuckled at what Quistis had called him. It was somewhat amusing.

"This is going to be really strange, you know that? I can just see the bad that this is going to bring already." Selphie sighed.

"Oh, you don't know that. Things will probably stay the same." Rinoa hoped they would anyway. The last thing she needed was for everything to go crazy now that Squall was here. She knew that everytime she saw him now, memories would begin to resurface. It was unfair. She had tried so hard to free herself form those dark times in her life, but now, they were trapping her again.

"Rinny?" Selphie touched her friend gently on the shoulder, bringing her back into the cruel world of reality. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Rinoa mentally shook herself out of those thoughts and pushed them as far as she could to the back of her mind. Hopefully, they would stay there for a while and leave her alone. "I was just thinking about some things."

"Okay." Selphie looked into her friend's face, hoping to see something that would tell her what was wrong. There was nothing there that helped her. Rinoa's face revealed nothing that gave Selphie even an inkling of what was going on within her tortured mind.

"Guys, I think I'm just going to stay here for the rest of the day. I'll meet up with you guys at Joe's later this eveing. Okay?" Rinoa sudden'y felt very tired. A nap sounded like the perfect thing for her at the moment. Anything that took her mind off it for a while would be perfect right now.

"All right. We don't want to push you to do something that you don't want to do. If you need to stay away from Joe's for a while, we understand. _Don't_ we, Quisty?" Selphie demanded of Quistis, giving her expecting glances.

"Oh, yeah. Of course." Quistis answered quickly.

"No, that's okay. I'll be there. I can't runaway forever. I should've known that this would come back to hit me in the face. I guess I just didn't see it coming." Rinoa shrugged and rubbed her temples in hopes to get rid of her headache that had formed suddenly.

"Are you sure? We don't want you to be uncomfortable or anything. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to, honest!" Selphie reassured her. She just didn't want Rinoa to get hurt. She was her best friend, after all. No strings attached.

"I'm positive. You can relax, Selphie. I'm probably going to read a little or something, and then I'll meet you guys at Joe's. You don't have to worry." She grabbed her book and led the two of them back out to the front door. She honestly wasn't trying to rush them out or get rid of them. She just wanted some time to think and figure out what to do about this whole situation.

"Okay, we'll see you later Rinny!" Selphie hugged the raven-haired girl fondly and opened the door. For Septemeber, it was still really warm, as it usually started to get colder after August.

Quistis followed the other girl outside but stopped and truned to Rinoa.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Rinoa. I hope you won't hold it against me." She smiled weakly.

"Of course not. Don't worry about it." Rinoa returned the smile and waved to them as they got into Quistis' car and drove off, probably to Joe's or one of the other's house.

Rinoa slowly closed the door and then turned to the stairs. She wanted to go up and sleep until the end of the world, but knew she couldn't run or hide forever. She headed up the stairs ayway, lost in her own thoughts, still unsure of what to do. She needed to come up with a plan of how to get through this. She hadn't planned on ever seeing him again, and now, here he was, back in her life for round two of Hell. It was aggravating to the fullest, and she swore she might just go crazy.

Her thoughts slowly drifted back to what she had told Quistis and Selphie. She was still in shock that she had lied to them like that when shesaid she had Squall hadn't been friends. That was the very opposite. They had been almost best friends, and she didn't even understand why she had lied to them in saying what she did. She had to wonder if she was that determined to keep things buried behind her, dead forever.

She slugged into her room and collapsed onto the bed. Things were so strange now, and she was afraid of change. When change came, that usually meant something bad was going to happen. It was something of a sixth sense that she had.

"What in Hyne's name am I going to do?" Rinoa asked out loud. She didn't recieve an answer, and frankly she hadn't been expecting one. Who was there to even answer her? She was all alone in this big house.

She eventually decided to sleep some before going down to Joe's. With her luck, it was going to be a long night.

"Why me?" Rinoa sighed and pulled the pillow over her head.

* * *

A/N: Well, there's chapeter 3 for ya. I thought this chapter was funny when I wrote it, and going back and typing was a blask as well. Watching Rinoa get mad was the funniest part. R&R, guys. Later Days. 


	4. Agitated

Okay, after chapter 3's drama, here's chapter 4, which is a little better…I think. I haven't reread it yet. Anyway, thanks so much for all the great reviews so far. It makes me feel a lot better and more confident that everyone really likes this story. I do, too. It's different for me. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. There ya go!

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_"Agitated" _**

Rinoa woke up from the sound of her cell phone going off like crazy. She rubbed her head sleepily and grabbed the cell phone from the desk.

"Hello." She rasped, her throat dry from sleep.

"Rinny? Where are you? It's 5:30!" Selphie's hysteric voice was heard on the other end.

"It is?" She was still groggy.

"Yeah! Are you still coming down here?" Selphie asked her.

"Um, yeah. Just give me some time to wake up. I'll be down there soon enough." Rinoa yawned and hung up.

She staggered into her bathroom and splashed cold water onto her face. It didn't help very much since she was still extremely tired. Her eyes still felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each. She just wanted to crawl back into bed, but she couldn't do that. She had told them she'd be there and had to keep her word, even though she didn't really want to.

Walking downstairs, the house was dark and there was no sign of her mother anywhere. She was probably still helping her friend move in and probably wouldn't be back until later that night. Oh, well. She figured she'd just leave her mother a note and go ahead and go down to Joe's. She grabbed a sweatshirt and her car keys and headed out the door.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Selphie, you can relax anytime now, you know!" Quistis stated from the couch where they usually always sat. She was sipping a Diet Coke and watching Selphie squirm and continuously watch the door. The only people who had come through were the ones that Selphie didn't want to see.

"I know. I know. I'm just…worried about her." Selphie sighed and finally took her eyes away from the door.

"Why are you worried?" Zell asked jumping down on the couch beside Quistis. The blonde frowned at him when she almost spilled her soda.

"I don't know. I'm just worried." Selphie shrugged in return.

"Hey, guys!" Quistis exclaimed sweetly as Seifer and his crew came over. She produced a very flirty smile, which was pretty much ignored by three of the guys.

"Yo." Drag said, smiling back at her. She blushed a little and focused on Seifer.

"Hey ladies." Seifer replied. Zell narrowed his eyes at Seifer, sick of that joke. Seifer ignored it and looked around and then turned to Selphie. "Where's Rinoa? It's Saturday! She's usually here!"

"She said she's on her way." Quistis answered, staring right at Seifer, trying to catch his eye and not having much luck. But she did notice that Drag was watching her every move. She glanced over at him briefly to see him wink and find his eyes wandering down her body. She blushed and went back to concentrating on Seifer, still feeling his eyes on her.

"Okay. Good because I want to talk to her about something." Seifer scratched at the back of his neck as if he were nervous.

"For what?" Selphie, Quistis, and Zell all asked him.

He smiled at their curiosity and just shrugged. "No reason. I just want to talk to her."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Zell shrugged and stood, making a B-line for the counter that Joe stood behind. He had one thing on his mind, and that was food. He was so hungry he couldn't stand it.

"I think he's hungry." Selphie giggled as she watched Zell talk to Joe.

Joe Pinalli was such a nice old man, close to his sixties. He'd had Joe's since his own son graduated from Balamb High School eighteen years ago. He was a short stocky man, going bald with white hair circling around his head in fluffs. He knew everybody in Balamb and knew almost everybody's grandmother, too. Joe was the kind of man who everybody invited to their Christmas dinners. His wife of 35 years died several years ago, but Joe was still a happy man. He had already told everyone that he would keep Joe's open until the day he died, and his son, Bryan, had already promised to take it up after him.

"When is he _not_?" Quistis demanded. Selphie had been semi-lost in her thoughts and almost didn't hear the other girl, but when it registered in her mind what she had said, she started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Seifer asked, obviously missing what had just taken place.

"Nothing. Never mind. You missed it." Quistis waved his question away with her hand. He shrugged and sat down.

"Oh, has anyone seen Irvine?" He asked everyone.

"Oh, he's probably getting close and way too comfortable with the head cheerleader's pillow." Selphie spat out bitterly.

"Okay then." Seifer knew better that to pursue the subject any further when the brown-haired happy girl spoke in that tone of voice. She was still very sore with Irvine and had just about had enough of all his playing around. It also didn't help matters that her plans, every single one of them, had all failed. He just didn't care and it bothered her. It really bothered her.

Quistis saw Selphie's mood change almost instantly and knew that the girl had seen something that made her happy again.

"Rinny!" Selphie exclaimed and jumped up from her seat and ran over to the entrance.

Rinoa had just come through the door and was immediately bomb-barded by a whole bunch of people, mainly cheerleaders. Everyone wanted to know why she had left early the night before, and everyone wanted to know how she knew the new guy. Now see? This was the main reason why she wanted to stay home and avoid everyone for a while! No one seemed to get it that she wanted to be left alone. She pushed her way through the crowd of people who just wanted her attention for the juicy gossip benefits. She suddenly knew how her mother felt when the media attacked her over the stupidest little things. Everyone wanted a piece of her life; they all wanted a look into her private mind. When she thought that they were going to trap her inside this circle forming, a hand found her wrist and pulled her out and away from everyone with amazing strength, and she found herself staring at the one person she didn't want to see…

Squall.

"Thought you might need some help." He smirked at her but still held onto her wrist.

"Thanks." _Look away. Look away!_ She was screaming in her mind, but it wasn't working. She was getting lost in those heavenly blue eyes that he had. _Stop thinking like that!_

"Rinny!" A shrill, excited scream erupted through her ears, and she cringed. Selphie appeared beside her and she pulled her arm away from Squall's hold. This was the perfect opportunity for her to finally look away.

"Hey, Selphie." She focused her gaze on Selphie and tried not to look at Squall who still stood near her. The head cheerleader, Summer, appeared beside Rinoa on the other side and waited patiently. The rest of the cheerleading squad present waited behind her.

"Hi, Summer." She turned to her nervously.

"Hey, Rinoa!" The bouncy cheerleader exclaimed, and Squall cringed at the sound of her voice. "Just wonderin' if you're still on for the dance practice. After all, you are our best dancer!" The bouncy bleached-blonde chewed away on her gum and flashed Rinoa these vibrant smiles.

"Yeah. I'll be there. I said I would, didn't I?" Rinoa asked her, trying to be as polite as humanly possible. She loved Summer to pieces, but sometimes she was just un bearable.

"Good. Thanks, Rinoa. Glad we can count on you!" Summer smiled and walked away with the rest of the squad behind her. Each girl looked Squall up and down except for Summer who just walked past him, without giving him the time of day.

"Rinny! Rinny! Rinny!" Selphie was jumping up and down now. "We've been so worried about you!" She grabbed her by the same arm that Squall had previously held and started to drag her away. Squall rolled his eyes and followed the two girls over to the rest of the group. He was determined to get Rinoa alone and talk to her, whether or not she wanted to. He needed to know why she had denied knowing him. Why had she told everyone that they had only met briefly? By the looks of it, she didn't tell the rest of her friends the real truth, and it almost pissed him off.

"We?" Rinoa muttered as Selphie dragged her over to everyone else. She was beginning to wonder what was worse, the crowd, Squall, or Selphie?

"Here she is! Here she is! I saved her!" The perky girl announced. A snort came from Squall that made Selphie glare at him. "Okay! Okay! _Squall_ saved her from the human-flesh eating crowd, and then _I_ saved her from him!" She smiled.

"I doubt if she needed saving from _me_." Squall muttered as he walked over and leaned against a couch where Zion sat stuffing his face.

"You'd be surprised." Rinoa hid behind Selphie and said very, very quietly. She was relieved when she noticed that Squall hadn't heard what she said, but Selphie did and gave her a funny look.

"So, now what are we doing?" Zion asked through an open mouth of food.

"Ugh! You're just as bad as Zell!" Quistis was grossed out by Zion's eating habits. Her parents were total perfectionists and had instilled in her brain that she must have perfect hygiene, perfect manners, perfect everything. She was pretty much grossed out completely.

"Oh, shuddup!" Zion swallowed. "I'm hungry and I could probably out eat him by a mile and a half!"

"Is that a challenge?" Zell demanded, coming over from talking with Joe. "'Cause nobody can out eat the Zellster!" He flexed his muscles and tried to make himself seem more macho.

Zion jumped up and pointed a finger at Zell, trying to act menacingly. "I could tear you up fool! I am the eating master! Nobody eats more than Zion Christopher Grant!" He declared.

Seifer rubbed elbows with Squall. "This could get ugly. I've seen Zell eat. He really can eat the house down. I bet they're going to have an Eat Off."

"Probably." Squall answered back. But he wasn't paying much attention to the two hogs. He was watching Rinoa. She was talking to Selphie and Quistis while glancing occasionally at the "feuding" guys. He watched her in partial hopes of catching her attention, but he watched her for another reason as well. He was searching her for something that would show him the Rinoa he once knew. She was also quite pleasant to look at, but she never returned his gaze. She focused on her conversation and would not look at him, although he was sure that she knew he was looking at her.

"Well, if you think you're so good and so hungry, then why don't we have and eat off?" Zell threw out in the open air.

"Why not? I'll cream you all over this town with a cherry on top, cause you're going down!" Zion accepted, sticking his hand out. "But we've gotta make this good. We need to make this a true challenge!"

"Okay, winner gets fifty bucks!"

"Done." And they shook on it.

"I hope you two know that you are both disgusting! You're so gross!" Quistis exclaimed. She stuck her nose up at both of them and turned away completely, shaking her head.

"I'm putting my money on Zell!" Rinoa called over.

"Well, I'm betting on Zion!" Selphie giggled. Both Zell and Zion looked at the two girls.

"Selphie!" Zell exclaimed. "What about me?"

"What about you? Rinny's already claimed that she's putting her money on you, so I'm going to put my money on Zion. Plus, he probably would beat you. Sorry, Zelly." She tried to smile sweetly at him, but couldn't hide her amusement at torturing him.

"Oh, I can feel the love, Selphie! Just kick me when I'm down!" Zell exclaimed, forgetting about the challenge just between him and Zion.

"Yeah! That's right! Everybody vote for the Zion! Go Zion! Go Zion! You da master! You da master! No one can beat da master!" he gave a bow and lifted his head to produce a cheesy smile.

Squall, Seifer, Drag, and Zell all gave him the same, "What in the Hell are you doing?" look.

Zion laughed nervously as he straightened himself up. "Okay. Let's just leave it at I'm the master, shall we?"

"You know, I can't decide which one of you is the bigger idiot!" Quistis came walking over to the guys and spoke to Zell and Zion. "But I'm beginning to think that maybe, you're exactly the same! Ha!" She laughed this evil little chuckle that made Zell and Zion both flinch.

"And you know what I think?" Squall spoke up, glaring at Quistis. By now, he had already reached the decision that he didn't like her… at all.

"And what's that?" She crossed her arms over her chest and returned the glare.

"That you are, by far, the snobbiest, bitchiest, and meanest girl to walk the Earth since Satan himself. Tell me, were you born that way or were you corrupted by money?" He asked coolly, never losing his composure. Everyone else just stared at him in complete disbelief at what he had just said, but Quistis never even batted an eye.

"Is that so? If I am what you say, then you must be nothing short of Esthar trash. I thought guys from Esthar were supposed to be hot, but I was obviously wrong!" She smirked and turned to Rinoa. "I really truly pity you. I am so sorry that you actually know this filth." Rinoa bit her lower lip to keep from showing any signs of amusement from this.

"Ouch!" Zion muttered. Zell nodded.

"And may I add, I'm proud of it. And she," he pointed to Rinoa after Drag gave him a high five. "Obviously hasn't told you the truth. How long are you going to try and keep it behind you, Rinoa? How long are you going to try and pretend that it never happened? You've got to break sometime." He purposely targeted her, and she definitely didn't like it.

"You were one of my brother's friends. That's it." She whispered, beginning to shake badly. The color was draining from her face, and her palms were beginning to sweat.

"Okay, fine. You keep telling yourself that, Rinoa. Maybe one day, you'll believe it." He turned and began to walk away.

"Why do you do that?" She yelled at him. He stopped and turned only his head to hear her words. "You always walk away! You degrade me and then walk away! Are you trying to humiliate me? Are you trying to make me feel bad on purpose?"

"You did that to yourself." And he walked completely out of earshot.

"Wow. That was pretty cruel." Selphie whispered timidly.

"Can I ask what instigated that?" Zell asked looking from Rinoa to Squall, who now stood next to Joe and talking to him.

"He's being a cocky-ass chicken shit." Rinoa growled. "He's digging up things that are better left buried. But you know, I won't put up with it. He's got another thing coming if he really thinks that I can bend that easily. He should better." She was livid and glared at the back of his head. What game was he playing? _If looks could kill…_

"Rinoa? Why do I feel like there's more to this than meets the eye?" Selphie asked her angered friend. Yes, she had heard what Squall said very clearly.

"Just drop it, Selphie. He was just trying to make me mad, and it worked." She answered through gritted teeth.

"If you insist." Selphie shrugged and turned back to watch Zell and Zion get back into it over who could eat more.

"You know what? He's actually not that bad of a guy. He's kind of an ass, but other than that, he's not a bad guy." Quistis smiled. She was actually surprised that he had said that to her face. She concluded that he had won her respect and wasn't a conceited bastard after all. Well, not too much anyway.

"You don't know him, just remember that." Rinoa whispered, still glaring at his back. Someone tugged on her sweatshirt sleeve, and she looked away to see Seifer standing there. He pulled to the side a little, away from everyone.

"What's going on? I've never seen you or him act like that before. Did you guys meet more than one time because despite how you're trying to deny it, it still seems that you're both hiding something?" He whispered, keeping his voice down so that only Rinoa could hear him. He wasn't trying to be nosey, but one couldn't help but be curious.

"I can't answer that." Her eyes dropped to the floor in an attempt to seal away her feelings. She didn't want them to know yet. It really wasn't that big of a deal, but she still wasn't ready to dig up that part of her.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I just can't/ I will tell you this, though: It's not that anyone is hiding anything. It's more that the truth has been misplaced." Rinoa told him and them walked away. She decided that she needed some time to be alone.

Rinoa walked outside and shivered through her grey sweatshirt. It wasn't cold; it was just her. She was feeling fifty different emotions, and didn't know which was the best to go with.

She stood outside for a few minutes, watching as more and more cars pulled into the almost completely filled parking lot. She spotted her car and thought about leaving, but figured that would just be running away. He mother had always told her not to run away from her problems, for that wouldn't solve them. They'd still be there when she returned and probably worse.

_"Fix it before it gets any worse, Rinny."_ She could hear her mother saying inside her head. Even when she wasn't around, she was still there. If that made sense.

"I don't think I can." She whispered to the air.

"Can't do what?" A voice spoke from around her.

"I can't fix the mess I made." She answered, not even questioning who was there. She didn't care and had no real reason to find out.

"Yes, you can. You're just too afraid to, aren't you?" Two hands rested on her shoulders, and she felt the heat from his body close in around her.

_Yes. I'm terrified._ She thought to herself but didn't voice. That was the last thing that he needed to know. If he ever knew her weakness, he'd use it to his advantage. He'd done it before, so why wouldn't he now?

"So tell me, Rin, why'd you lie to them?" He asked her, trying to hide his anger. His hands gripped her shoulders tighter, holding her there, in that spot.

"There are some things people don't need to know. I don't have to tell them anything." She answered, staring forward and speaking without any emotion. "Do I?"

"To a certain extent, but I'm angry. You denied even knowing me. Why?" he demanded, pulling her even closer to him. She closed her eyes and focused on something, anything that would keep her from crying.

She shook her head and fought the tears. Memories were flooding her mind, and she wanted to get away from it. She wanted him to let go of her before she cried.

"No, you know why. You just won't tell me. Do you even remember all the stuff that happened between us? If you don't, I do. I remember it all." He whispered in her ear. She could hear the anger begin to slip out from where it was hiding. How much longer could he last?

"Why are you doing this to me? Why are you trying to hurt me again?" Rinoa pulled away forcibly and turned around to face him.

"I never hurt you. You know I wouldn't." he shook his head in defense.

"You did, though. And if you remember everything that you say you do, then I'm sure you'll remember that. Don't tell me that you never did because I remember, too you know." She hissed bitterly.

"I-." He started but couldn't think of anything to say to her. Where had she gotten this idea that he had hurt her?

"See? You do remember." She dropped her eyes again.

"Do you want me to say something?" He asked. That was all he could say to her. He didn't know what she wanted. He was still trying to figure her out again. She had changed so much that he felt like he had to meet her and get to know her all over again.

"No." She took a step back away from him. She needed to get away again. She felt herself falling into those old, dark times of her past life in Deling City.

"What do you want me to do then?" He took a few steps forward like he was advancing at her, but she never wavered, never moved. He was just an arm's reach away from her now.

"I don't know." She looked away from him. "A part of me wants me to admit everything, but the other part of me wants to make you leave and ignore you. I just don't know." She focused on a spot in the ground and stared at it. She heard him come closer and closer until his body was just a few inches from hers.

"You know I never would hurt you. I may have been stupid when I was younger, but I was never stupid enough to hurt someone I cared about." He touched her cheek gently with two of his fingers and she recoiled at his touch. She was still scared of him.

"Don't say anything." Rinoa whispered as his hands gently rested on her shoulders again. She refused to meet eye contact with him and just stared at the ground. She wanted to run away from him, to pretend that nothing had happened, that they had never seen each other before. She wanted to stay in denial for a long as she could. "What's done is done, and nothing can change it."

"True. But I need to know if our friendship is in danger here." He cupped her cheek in his hands and raised her head so that she was looking at him. "I need to know."

"What friendship?" She pulled away from him. "Our friendship ended six years ago. All hopes of us ever being friends again were shattered when you used me. There is no friendship here anymore." She backed away from him, determined to keep him away, to keep him from hurting her again.

"Rin, I-" he started but she stopped him.

"I don't know you anymore. You're not the person I grew up with and became so close to." She stopped and stared him in the face. " Stay away from me. You've hurt me before, and I won't let you do it again." With that, she walked past him and back inside the building. She was still fighting the tears that threatened to spill. Zion and Zell were still arguing about who could eat more and stood beside Selphie.

"What's wrong?" Selphie looked at her with surprise, seeing the hurt in her face that she was desperately trying to cover up.

"Nothing. I just feel ill, that's all." She lied and focused on Zell and Zion.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall leaned against the brick building and smacked his head with his hand. How many more times was he going to blow it? Was he moving too fast for her?

"I never hurt you." He said out loud. "Did I?"

* * *

A/N: And there you have it! Chapter 4. Feeling bad for Rinoa yet? Don't worry, it gets worse, and the it gets better. Oh, let me explain something real fast! From here on out, things will start to get a little weird and Rinoa's behavior will be out of whack. I had to alter it a bit to make the story make more sense, so don't get mad at me. Don't worry, it's not extreme or anything likes that. She's still the same, hopefully. Thanks again for the great reviews so far! Later Days!


	5. The 1st Battle Begins

Hiya! Miss me? I've been studying for my exams and SOLs, so I haven't actually gotten much done on anything except for maybe this story. What I need to do is get working on The Last Reality and Book 2, but I think I'll wait. I like this one.

Okay, before I let you guys start, I need to tell you something. This chapter is one of the few crazya ones, and I mean crazy. When I wrote this chapter I was in one funky mood, and the two characters involved in this "battle" reminded me of my Uncle and sister who used to do this all the time. I have a very crazy family, so you will either be rolling with laughter or staring at the screen with a _What the…_ look on your face. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters, places, or ideas. They are all property of Square.

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_"The 1st _** **_Battle_****_ Begins" _**

****

Rinoa did not sleep at all that night. She laid in her bed, staring at the ceiling for hours, crying for most of the night. Her old memories were un-surfacing themselves and filling her mind. True, there were some good ones but on the majority side, they were all bad. Her childhood had not been a happy one. Her "father" was never home, and when he was, he never spoke to her, never looked at her. He denied that she was even his daughter. He loved and bragged to anyone who would listen about her older brother, Tony. Tony had been General Caraway's favorite. Rinoa was just shoved aside like trash, and maybe to him, she was. Rinoa had never been allowed to do anything. She had a private tutor who schooled her at her home, the Caraway Mansion. She never left that big house except during the summer months. She studied endlessly on a large range of subjects, and had read every book in the Mansion's library. She was the "unseen" Caraway daughter. She never did anything outside the iron gates that surrounded the house.

Summer was the only time when Rinoa could be herself and be free from her Deling City prison. She used to spend her summers in Winhill where her mother went to spend time with her best friend, Raine. It was there that Rinoa met Squall. She was Raine's oldest son (second oldest of all her children) and at first, she was scared of him, but there weren't many other children in Winhill, and so, after a while, Rinoa and Squall became best friends, but she still only saw him during the summer.

But everything changed the summer when Rinoa turned twelve. Her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Timber for two years. She never returned to Winhill and didn't see Squall again until she was sixteen.

She moved to Balamb when she was fourteen and she'd been there ever since. She loved everything about Balamb. The people here were wonderful and were all so nice. She was finally accepted and able to be herself like she never could be. She hadn't seen her biologically father since she was thirteen and was glad. She hated that man with a burning passion for everything that he did to her. Because of him, she had spent 13 years in complete misery.

When the morning came, Rinoa was not too happy to see it. She wanted the morning to never some. She was afraid of what the day would bring. She still couldn't hide forever from him, but she was sure going to try. She was afraid of him and afraid of what he might do or act around her now.

"I'll just have to stay away from him." She finally concluded after a long thought, sighing aloud.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa met up with Selphie and Quistis at Quistis' house after her mother kicked her out of her own house. She had made it very clear that she couldn't mope around all day, cooped up in the house.

"Some fresh air will do you some good, Rinny. You can't stay locked up in this house all day, even though past habits may want you to do so. Go out and have some fun with your friends. The social interaction will be good for you, too." And with that having been said, Rinoa's mother shooed her daughter out of the house for the day.

"Do you think Zell and Zion are actually going to do that challenge?" Selphie asked as the three girls sat in Quistis' bedroom.

At the moment, Quistis was sitting on her bed, filing her nails to perfection. "Oh, probably. You know Zell. He never backs down from anything, especially a challenge that involves food."

"When are they going to do it?" Selphie asked, watching Quistis carefully round the edges of her nails.

"Oh, I don't know. They're probably doing it right now for all we know." The blonde sighed with a hint of agitation.

The two carried on their conversation on various subjects while Rinoa sat on a beanbag chair lost in her thoughts. All she could think about was her past life in Deling City and Timber. She couldn't remember any of the happy times, only the sad and depression ones. She wanted nothing more than for those memories to leave her be. She wanted them to stop terrorizing her. But how do you stop something that won't listen?

"Rinny!" Selphie was waving a hand in front of her face.

"What?" It shocked her and she jumped, rolling out of the beanbag chair.

Quistis laughed at her, "Are you coming?" She had grabbed her purse and was waiting by the bedroom door.

"Where are we going?" Rinoa stood and followed them down the stairs and out the front door.

"We're making a pit-stop at Seifer's. Maybe he knows what's going on. This has been the most boring weekend ever!" Quistis exclaimed, emphasizing the last few words.

"So, we're going to torture Seifer for a few hours?" Rinoa asked, opening the passenger side to Quistis' car.

"Yep!" Selphie exclaimed from the back seat. "That and we're going to find out when Zell and Zion are holding their challenge."

"I could really care less about that. I just want another chance to win over Seifer. I need my daily dose, that's all." Quistis flashed them a grin, starting up her light blue convertible.

"You mean you want your daily dose of rejection?" Rinoa asked, smiling wickedly.

"Oh, shut up or you're walking!" Quistis mumbled bitterly. To tell the truth, Rinoa had a point. Seifer just didn't seem interested.

"Wow. It's Friday all over again!" Selphie giggled. "Poor Quisty! Always getting picked on" She mocked sympathy.

"I know. Why must everyone be so mean? I'm sweet and innocent. I wouldn't hurt a fly." She batted her eyes sweetly, making Rinoa roll her eyes.

"Yeah, a fly guy maybe." She muttered coughing.

"Strike two!" Quistis said dangerously.

"Oh, Quistis! You know I'm just playing with you!" Rinoa laughed at her friend.

"Yes, I know." Quistis sighed. "Oh! Speaking of guys. What do you two think of Drag?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Okay! Ladies and Gentlemen! Friends and Family! Welcome to the one and only Esthar vs. Balamb Eat-Off! It's an exciting day as we'll find out who will be the King of the Hogs!" Seifer exclaimed, using his best announcer's voice. Seifer, Squall, Irvine, Zell, Zion, and Drag were currently in Seifer's kitchen, surrounded by massive amounts of food. "So, let's meet the contestants on today's Eat-Off!"

'Well, in this corner," Drag pointed to the left. " We have the defending champion, Zion Grant from Esthar! And in the other corner, we have the challenger, Zell Dincht!"

"And, as you all at home can see, this is going to be an interesting fight to the full stomach! But let's see the weapons! Squall, why don't we throw it at you?" Seifer pointed to Squall standing at the front of the table.

"Thanks, Seifer! As you can see, folks, our menu for the battle consists of both Estharian and Balamb style dishes. Our contestants will have to eat their way through this mountain of food. Whoever can eat the most and get the cheery on top of the whip cream chocolate cake, is the winner!" Squall exclaimed. "Back to you, Seifer!"

"Thank you, Squall! This will be an exciting battle indeed!" Seifer announced. He was using a carrot as a microphone. "Alright, gentlemen. Are you ready?"

"Booyah!" Zell flexed his muscles.

"Bring it on!" Zion cracked his knuckles and smiled.

"Then let the fight be-." But the doorbell suddenly interrupted them. At first, they all just looked at each other.

"Who's that?" Zion asked. He wanted to eat! He was so hungry it was unbelievable.

"I don't know." Seifer shrugged. "Let me check." He headed to the front door.

The other guys waited in the kitchen and heard voices from the hallway as Seifer came back into the kitchen.

"Look who I found!" Seifer exclaimed as Quistis, Selphie, and Rinoa entered the kitchen.

"What in the hell are you guys doing?" Quistis asked, surveying the area.

"Um. We're having an Eat-Off." Drag scratched at the back of his neck.

"So, that's the reason for all the food. That explains a lot." Rinoa whispered, avoiding Squall, but he wasn't even paying attention to her.

"Who's winning?" Selphie asked.

"We haven't started yet. We were just about to when you guys rang the doorbell." Seifer answered her. He felt kind of awkward standing there, doing nothing.

"Well, by all means, carry on. Don't stop because of us." Quistis told them. She was against this, really, but (as stated before) boys will be boys.

"Real quick before you start!" Rinoa interrupted just as Seifer was about to tell them to go. He gave her this "what" look. "What are the rules?"

"They have to eat as much as they can, and get to the cherry on top of the cake." Seifer answered. He was tempted to use his announcer's voice, but thought against it. He wasn't sure how they would act.

"You should have them tie their hands behind their backs and eat only with their faces. Now _that_ would be entertainment!" Rinoa pointed out. She laughed as little at Zell and Zion's surprised looks.

"Hey, that's an idea!" Seifer looked to the other guys. They all nodded in agreement expect for Zell and Zion. They weren't too keen to get all kinds of food all over their faces, even though it would probably be fun. Messy, but fun.

"Alright, Ladies and Gentlemen! There has been a change in the rules! The contestants now must tie their hands behind their backs and eat their way to the cherry on top!" Seifer stopped suddenly in realizing how he had just said that and laughed. Drag and Squall caught the humor in that and laughed with him, but the others just stood there dumb-founded.

"Ah, nothing. It's nothing." Seifer wiped the tears out of his eyes.

"Anyway! I actually want to see this battle. Can we start already?" Rinoa asked, trying not to sound impatient or rude.

"Well, well, well. Somebody seems anxious." Drag smiled at the girl and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I'm with her on this one. Why don't we get started? I just want to see who's going to get sick first! Ha ha ha!" He laughed at seeing Quistis' expression. She was making this god-awful, disgusted look like she was going to hurl.

"Okay, but if we're going to tie our hands behind our backs, then we're going to need ropes or something." Zell pointed out.

"You know, we could just _hold_ our hands behind our backs." Zion mumbled, not too keen on the idea of actually having his hands tied behind his back.

"Nah." Squall and Drag both said at the same time. They grinned evilly and disappeared out of the kitchen.

"I do not, in any way, trust what those two are up to." Quistis said, watching the door that they had just exited very closely, listening for them to return.

"You don't trust them? How do you think we feel? At least you're not the one who's going to have your hands tied behind your back!" Zion exclaimed.

"You've got a point." Quistis smiled. "But you know, you have Rinoa to thank for that." She nudged her head in Rinoa's direction.

"Sorry, guys. I didn't know you wouldn't like it." Rinoa blushed and looked away. Zion just laughed at her.

There was this chorus of evil laughs and Squall and Drag returned to the kitchen with rope in their hands.

"Look what we found! Ha ha ha!" Drag smiled and held up his rope.

"Do we have to use rope?" Zell asked, whining. He rubbed his wrists nervously.

"Yes, we do." Squall said curtly and walked over to Zion, rope out-stretched and this menacing, evil look on his face.

"Dude, you look possessed." Zion gulped and backed away from his advancing cousin.

"That's nice. Now turn around." Her ordered.

Zion obeyed and turned around, putting his hands behind his back like he was being arrested. He winced as Squall tied the ropes tight around his wrists.

"Ouch! Be gentle, darn it!" Zion muttered several times.

"Well, I can't allow you to get out of these, now can I?" Squall asked. He looked up and smiled at the others.

Rinoa smiled and shook her head. There were these moments now when she saw those little pieces of him that she remembered too fondly. He was carefree now, mischievous like he used to be, and playful. After thinking about that, she realized she had juts almost described him as a dog. She started to laugh, and everyone just looked at her.

"What is so funny?" Quistis demanded hands on hips with her sassy attitude. Drag looked at Quistis, standing there like that and chuckled. He suddenly had another idea for this rope.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about something, and it was just the way I thought about it that made it funny. It was a comparison thing." She waved it off and blushed fiercely.

Squall caught her eye and smiled while raising an eyebrow. She continued to blush and returned the smile quickly before looking away. He focused back on Zion and tied the ropes completely and backed away from his cousin.

"Am I going to be able to get out of these?" Zion demanded. He could _not_ move his hands at all. "Great Hyne above, Squall! Do you want me to be stuck like this forever? Are you trying to punish me or something?" Zion exclaimed.

Zell was laughing hysterically at Zion by now.

"Oh, it's your turn now." Drag snapped the rope and walked over to Zell. The blond gulped and backed away, determined not to get the same treatment as Zion.

"I think I'll pass." Zell walked around the kitchen island away from Drag.

"Oh, no, no, no! If I'm going down, you're going down with me!" Zion exclaimed. He looked so funny with his hands tied behind his back.

"But I don't want to get tied up! I didn't do anything wrong!" Zell narrowly avoided Drag by ducking under the table will all the food and crawling out the other side.

"Zell, just think of it as having a girlfriend." Drag began, following Zell around the table.

"Exactly. It's necessary to have one, but it can also be something as a punishment from the Almighty Hyne." Squall finished for him, coming up behind Zell and allowing Drag to corner him.

"Why do you think I'm single? Yay!" he looked around and saw Squall standing there. He gulped and tried to get away, but they both had him cornered. Squall held him down while Drag tied his hands, but that wasn't really necessary. He gave up after they had him cornered.

"It's not very much fun, is it?" Zion demanded. The two guys let Zell up and he attempted to wiggle his way to a more comfortable position, but the ropes were too tight.

"No, it's not." Zell muttered bitterly. He looked at Rinoa, growling, "Just wait until these ropes come off, Rinoa. This is your fault!"

He was only picking with her, but she got the message.

"I'm sorry. But you know, I bet you're going to have a blast. I guarantee it!" Rinoa pointed out. She felt a movement beside her and saw Squall lean against the wall just inches from her. For the time being, he posed no threat, so she just went back to watching Zell and Zion get ready for the challenge.

They readied themselves on either end of the table. The huge whipped cram chocolate cake stood in the center and the cherry gleamed brightly from its white throne on top.

"Okay! Are you ready? Contestants?" Seifer had his carrot back and stuck it towards Zell and Zion.

"Ready!" They both answered, glaring each other down.

"Are the judges ready?" Seifer motioned his "microphone" towards Squall, Drag, and Irvine.

"Let's get it started." Drag answered as the other two nodded.

"And is our lovely female audience ready?" He finally motioned the carrot to Selphie, Rinoa, and Quistis.

"Ready!" They answered.

"Okay then. On my mark." The two guys poised for the kill, or fill. "Get set! GO!" And they dove in.

Food began flying everywhere, landing all over the floor, and even targeting the audience and judges. Zion got off to a faster start than Zell and devoured the first three dishes that stood before him, which consisted of Marbolo casserole, pure chocolate fudge squares, and salmon. There was a plate of a dozen hotdogs closets to him of everything, but he deliberately skipped over them. He'd never had a hotdog before.

Zell, on the other hand, took things at a slightly slower pace for one sole reason: He had a majority of the Estharian dishes on his side. He'd never had any of these dishes before.

"Ugh! What IS some of this stuff?" Zell asked through a mouthful of white chunky gruel.

"Um, that would be something you don't want to know." Seifer advised.

The challenge lasted for about 20 minutes. Zell and Zion ate to their absolute fullest, but there was not a winner. They ate so much, and made this huge mess and by the time they had made it through all the food, they didn't have the energy or room to reach up and eat the cherry. Therefore, there was no winner. It was a complete tie.

"Ugh!" Zell groaned. "I fell like I'm going to barf." He clutched his stomach in pain. They had cut the ropes after the two guys collapsed on the kitchen floor.

"You can say that again. Oh!" Zion rested his head against the front of the fridge. It felt cooling and a whole lot better than his stomach.

"Are you guys okay?" Selphie asked, making her way through the mess to the two guys.

"No." They both answered through several moans and groans. Both of their faces were covered in food along with the front of their shirts and pants. The floor looked like a tornado had hit it. There were pots, pans, food, and a thousand other things on the floor. The only thing that remained untouched was the whipped cream chocolate cake. The cherry still stood on top, like a beacon shining brightly.

"You guys look so pathetic!" Rinoa laughed at them. She began helping Seifer clean up the mess that had been made. It was going to take a lot to clean up this massive mess.

"Seifer, where are your parents? I sincerely doubt if they would approve of this." Quistis had dropped down beside Rinoa and was helping her grab dishes and whatnot. Squall and Drag were working on the table, and Irvine was getting some rags and a mop.

"Uh, my dad's in Centra. He won't be back for another month or so, and my mom is over at Squall's helping Raine set up the house and unpack. Your mom is there too, right Rinoa?" Seifer asked.

"She should be, yeah." Rinoa answered, taking a few bowls that were licked almost completely clean to the sink.

"And, no, my mother would not approve of this. That's why I've got to get it cleaned up as fast as I can." Seifer dropped a series of bowls and pans into the sink, as well.

"Well, you know that we're going to help you, Seif." Squall told him, grabbing a rag from Irvine and cleaning the table top around the cake.

"Yeah, we can't let you clean up this mess all by yourself when it was our idea to have it here in the first place." Drag agreed. He and Irvine began cleaning up the food-covered floor.

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it." Seifer grinned.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It took them all just about an hour to clean up that mess. They weren't sure what to do with the cake and eventually decided to leave it there for the time being.

After the dirty work was down, they all congregated out on the back deck. Zell and Zion were still moaning and groaning from the pains in their stomachs.

Somehow or another they got on the subject of Esthar, and Squall and Drag told everyone stories about their school, the people there, and even some of the things they had done.

They spent the afternoon like that until about three o'clock. Rinoa was ready to leave, but Quistis was just yappin' away with Drag and Seifer. After a few moments, Squall spoke.

"Hey, guys? I'm heading out. Later." He got up and caught Rinoa's eye. Now, he had a pretty good guess that Rinoa had ridden with someone. _Do you want a ride home?_ He mouthed to her.

She looked at Quistis and figured by the way she was engrossed in the conversation with the two guys that it would be quite a while before she was ready to go. She looked back t Squall and nodded. A look of worry found its way to her face. He waved goodbye to everyone and motioned for her to follow.

She managed to slip away without being seen and followed Squall out front. He led her to his black Mustang without a word. It wasn't until he had actually pulled out of the driveway that he finally spoke.

"I wanted to talk to you, anyway, if that was okay." He kept his eyes on the road determined not to lose control. He wouldn't let himself scare her away. He'd lost her once and wouldn't do it again.

"Yeah." She whispered, staring forward like he was doing. She felt so strange being there with him. After what had happened, the argument between them the day before, she had been sure that they wouldn't speak to each other for some time. Apparently, she had been wrong.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, first. I shouldn't have been so hard on you. It's just that I was so mad that you denied even knowing me. I still have yet to know why, but I guess I'll know in due time." He shrugged, still refusing to look at her. He found it strange that after all this time; he still had feelings for her. Of course, back then, it had been more of puppy love, but now, it was getting stronger every time he laid eyes on her.

_If you haven't gotten it by now, you'll never know. Are you in denial or do you truly not know what you did to me? I'll take the former. You must know your own actions. Even if your memory is clouded, you must know._

Rinoa said nothing, so he continued. "I would like to be friends again, if you will permit it. If I have to start from scratch again, then I have no problem with that. I earned your trust before. I'm pretty sure I can do it again."

Rinoa couldn't decide if he was being cocky in that last bit or not. She swore she heard it in there, but she could have been imagining things. At any rate, she remained quiet. Only a few minutes longer and she'd be home.

_Just keep telling yourself that, Rinoa. Just keep repeating those words. They're all you have right now._

"But I think the question is, do you want to be friends again?" He finally looked over at her and was startled by what he saw. She was biting her lower lip nervously, trying so hard to focus on anything but him. He had the look about her as if she were going to cry. He reached out as if he were going to touch her but brought his hand back. He couldn't allow himself to do anything just yet.

"Are you…?" he started but never finished.

"I'm fine." Rinoa lied to both of them. She didn't believe herself and frankly, didn't expect him to either.

He didn't press her and turned into her driveway. Seifer had been right. Her house was huge.

Rinoa didn't move for a few minutes. She was completely afraid. She was afraid of him, afraid of herself, afraid of everything.

"Are you sure?" he watched her closely.

This time, she just shook her head. No, she wasn't all right. She was far from "all right." Her hands began to shake and she was sweating.

He touched her shoulder and she recoiled away from him.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He had been surprised that she didn't bolt out of the car the moment he pulled in. "Rin?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. Thanks for the ride." She tried so hard to regain her composure. She tried to unbuckle her seat belt but her hands were just shaking like crazy. He thought she was going to cry at any moment. He finally reached over and pushed the button that freed her from the seat belt. She looked at him, and just for that split second when their eyes met, things were almost how they used to be.

"Thanks," She whispered and opened the car door.

"No problem." He watched her close the door and walk up to her front door. He wasn't sure of what to do. Should he pull out and just leave her or follow her and actually try to talk to her. He eventually decided.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa closed the door and leaned against it. She felt like she was in a Hell on Earth. She was still shaking and finally let the tears fall. Why was she crying? She had no idea.

The doorbell rang behind her and she jumped. She didn't care that she was still crying and opened the door. Well, she didn't care until she saw who was on the other side of that door.

"Hey." He said tenderly, trying to smile at her. Rinoa furiously wiped at the tears and hid her face. She mumbled a "come in" and backed away.

He closed the door behind him, and they stood there in the hall nervously, unsure of what to do or say.

"I just wanted to, uh, make sure that you were okay." He whispered.

"Oh," she wiped her eyes again. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to upset you." He touched her cheek gently, wiping away her tears with his thumb. He wished that there were something he could do for her. He hated to see her like this, and he was pretty convinced that he had caused most of this.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing." She pushed his hand away gently. "I think I just need to be alone for awhile."

"Are you sure?" He asked again. His hand found its way back to her cheek again and he moved closer to her. "Can I help?"

"More than you know." She whispered. This time she didn't push him away but allowed him to come closer. His other arm snaked around her shoulders and he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I want us to be friends again." He whispered to her, holding her. She said nothing but wrapped her arms around his waist, and he gently guided her head onto his shoulder. It was there that she let it go and cried. He held onto her and let her cry there, in his arms until she finally stopped and pulled away.

"I'm sorry. I-I…" She looked away from him, cheeks burning crimson.

"Rin, don't worry about it!" he laughed at her embarrassment and stepped closer to her again. "It's okay." He touched her cheek again softly and she closed her eyes at the feeling. "Is there any way that we can be friends again?"

"I don't know. I want to, but I don't know if I can trust you anymore. I thought I could once, but…" She took his hand in hers and held it for a few seconds before letting it drop back down to his side.

"You can trust me! I don't even see why you lost trust in me to begin with. I never did anything wrong!" He shook his head, chuckling to himself, but the look on Rinoa's face showed no amusement.

"You never did anything wrong!" She exclaimed startling him. She was beyond furious at this moment in time. No, she was livid. "Are you stuck in a world of denial or do you truly not know what you did to me?" She was one volume short of yelling.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I never did anything to you except be your friend. Or wait! Was that my crime? Befriending you? Well, now I know better. Now, I'm beginning to see the truth. If you want me to leave you alone, then I will. Good-bye, Rinoa." He said harshly as he turned away from her to the door.

"Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out!" she screamed. The door slammed, letting her know that he was gone. "And don't come near me again, you low bastard." She whispered, dropping to her knees.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Monday morning came with no event. Rinoa spent half the night tossing and turning, thinking about Squall and some of the things that had happened to her in the past. Needless to say, she didn't sleep too much.

Rinoa met Selphie and Quistis in the Cafeteria at school around 7:30. She felt simply awful, living off of maybe an hour of sleep and nothing in her stomach. The other two girls didn't look too happy either. Selphie and Irvine had had a row after Rinoa left with Squall, and Quistis was just upset that she still couldn't land Seifer.

"Oh, Rinny! After you left, it was horrible!" Selphie exclaimed. The three girls sat at a table in the Cafeteria, waiting for 8 o'clock to come so they could head up to first block.

"Actually, at first, we weren't even aware that you had left, and Selphie turned around like she was going to say something to you, and you were gone! When we observed that Squall was absent as well, we made the assumption that you were with him." Quistis explained. She winked at Rinoa, smiling.

"He just gave me a ride home. You two didn't look like you were going to leave anytime soon, so I let him take me home." Rinoa assured the two girls. They made it very clear that she wasn't believed.

"Anyway, Irvy and I got into this horrible fight and Zion and Seifer had to break us apart. He was so mean to me, and I didn't even do anything to him!" Selphie exclaimed.

"And I truly don't think Seifer is interested. I played _every single_ move in the book on him, and still, there was no reaction. Either he just doesn't care, or he's playing hard to get! I just can't figure it out!" The blonde sighed and rested her chin on her hands. She just didn't know what to do.

"Well, maybe, Seifer isn't the right guy." Rinoa suggested kindly.

"Oh, no! He's the one. I know that for a fact! It's got to be him! I can feel it! I'm so in love with him, and I've never even been with him! He just drives me so crazy that I want to scream! But it's a good scream, mind you." Quistis told them. She was totally crazy about this guy.

"You're so pathetic!" Rinoa laughed, rolling her eyes at Quistis' lovesick behavior.

"Hey, now! You can't tell me that you have never felt this way before, Rinoa!" Quistis exclaimed, defending herself.

Rinoa opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She was going to say that she had never felt that way before, but that would be lying. She had felt that way about a guy before. It was once that she had experienced those feelings. They didn't last very long. She ended up having her heart broken into a thousand pieces. That was the main reason why she wanted to be left alone. She was afraid of getting her heart broken again, even though she knew nobody could cause her as much pain as he did. She was determined to keep her heart protected anyway.

"See! You have felt like this before, so you cannot say that I am pathetic because I am not! I am completely sane and in love!" She sighed heavily and produced a goofy smile.

"I may have felt that way at one moment in time, but I do not have that feeling any longer." Rinoa stated firmly.

"What about Squall? You guys seem to be getting it on." Selphie asked innocently. She didn't mean any harm by the comment, but Rinoa couldn't help but get angry.

"No! There is nothing going on between us at all! I hate that bastard! If he were here, I'd knock him out!" she growled she was still livid about what had happened the day before. She figured that the two of them didn't need to know about that little incident. It was between her and Squall, and no one else. But he's probably end up telling the whole world anyway. It didn't matter anymore. There was almost nothing more for him to do to hurt her anymore. So why was she making such a big deal out of this?

"Okay! Okay! My goodness! I didn't mean to offend you!" Selphie threw her hands up. "I just, you know, figured that since you guys knew each other so well that you had something going on." Selphie looked away from Rinoa, fishing for words. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Selphie. But there's really nothing going on between us. I promise. I can't be around him. It's just… too emotional." She shrugged.

"I wonder why he doesn't want a girlfriend." Quistis spoke just out of the blue. The other two girls just looked at her questionably.

"Quistis, what on earth are you talking about?" Selphie asked, laughing and shaking her head.

"Seifer!" The blonde answered, still wearing that daydreamer's look. "I was just wondering why he doesn't want a girlfriend right now. He said that yesterday. 'I don't want a girlfriend right now.' And I want to know why. Is he picky? Does he just want to play it single for a while?" She was going on and on about this while Selphie and Rinoa just looked at each other.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was in love with him." Selphie exclaimed, holding back the desperate urge to laugh uncontrollably.

"Ya think? She's obsessed!" Rinoa was the one who actually laughed. Quistis didn't even notice. She just sighed and went on and on.

"I'm really into this guy, and I realized that I rarely talk to him. He's just perfect for me. He's sporty, funny, and hot! I feel just so myself when I think about him. He has a wonderful personality, a sense of humor. I just can't get explain this in words. It's phenomenal! Oh, I'm in love! I know I'm in love, but I think he just doesn't see me. It just doesn't seem to be fair." She sighed again, and continue to ramble on and on about this guy and how much she loved him, how much she would give for him…yadda, yadda, yadda. Rinoa just pretended not to notice her friend's lovesick behavior.

"My gosh, Quisty! Why don't you just ask him out? Take a chance, already!" Selphie smacked the blonde on the back of the head.

"He says he doesn't want a girlfriend right now. It's so awful. I can't explain how I feel." She put her head down on the table, sighing again.

"Quistis, you had better grab paradise while you can still see it, because it won't be there forever. You can't just sit back and hope that things will turn your way. You have to do it yourself. No one else is going to do it for you." Rinoa said quietly. Quistis lifted her head and just started at her.

"Do you really think I should?" She asked nervously.

"How else are you going to get what you want?" She asked back.

All of s sudden, Quistis jumped up. "I'm going to do it! I'm going to make him mine!" She exclaimed. The blonde grabbed her books and almost ran out of the Cafeteria.

"Well, that was out of character." Selphie observed, watching Quistis leave.

"Love makes you do crazy things." Rinoa told her, smiling. She enjoyed her private little joke.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I know. That was one long, crazy chapter. How do you think I feel? I was the one who had to type it up! And do you want to know something funny? I've got another chapter that's almost twice as long. Ha! I'm leaving now. Later Days!


	6. The Calm Before The Storm

Okay! This is the REAL chapter six! I swear! I was stupid and forgot to save changes when I redid the chapter. Sorry. But thank you all so much for pointing that out for me! You're my heroes!

Okay! Here's chapter (what chapter was this again? Hold on…) 6! There we go! I'm having technical difficulties with my brain today, okay, well everyday. Anyway, here's more! Oh, and beware of mild language in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy series. All characters, ideas, and places belong to Square.

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_Chapter Six _**

_"The Calm Before The Storm" _

"I could just kill her!" Squall exclaimed, slamming his locker shut and growling. He was mad, really, really mad.

"Kill who and why?" Seifer asked. The guys had been a part of Balamb High School for a few weeks now and had gotten into the swing of things. It wasn't too difficult.

"_Rinoa."_ Squall answered through clenched teeth. "She's a fucking little bitch!"

The two were walking down the hall to their first block.

"What'd she do?" Seifer asked, he had never heard of Rinoa being a bitch. She'd always been so nice to him and everyone else. Just the thought of her being a bitch was like thinking that a character from a messed up horror film had come to life. It was just unreal and totally fictional.

"She's just being so damn hypocritical. First, she denies that she even knows me when we fucking pretty much grew up together, and then she gets fucking pissy with me when I'm trying to make amends with her. I don't know what her problem is, but I wish she'd get her fucking lie straight because I'm getting sick of this shit." Squall just wanted to find her and yell at her until he went hoarse.

"That's odd, even for Rinoa. Hmm. has she given you any reason for her behavior?" He asked his seriously angered buddy.

"Seif, she's a _girl_! Do they ever give you any reason? All she said was that she didn't know if she could trust me because I supposedly hurt her at one point in time. I'll tell you now that is nothing but bullshit. I have done nothing to her. I haven't even seen her in six years. How can I do something to her if I haven't even seen her?" Squall demanded. They walked into the physics room and took their seats. They still had five minutes before the tardy bell rang so they ignored the work at their table.

"Who knows?" Seifer shrugged, "Or maybe you did something to her, but you don't realize that you did. It could be that."

"I don't know. She won't even look at me! I haven't talked to her since that Sunday after we got here. That was the last time she and I said something to one another. I just wish she'd come out and tell me what it is I've done wrong. I really have no desire to lose my friendship with her. We used to be such good friends. I don't understand." Squall shook his head as Drag entered the classroom.

"Well, maybe if you just go up to her and try to talk to her again, you guys will get it worked out." Seifer had no idea what to tell Squall. That seemed so unlike Rinoa. She never held a grudge on anyone before. He had a feeling that his went deeper than he was letting on.

"Hey, my home skillet biscuits! What's happenin'?" Drag asked, slamming his books down on the table wearing this huge grin on his face like he'd won the friggin lottery. "I must say, the ladies here are fabulous!" He pulled a handful of little slips of paper from his pockets. "They're just dying for a night with me!" He laughed. "But I'm still holding out for that little blonde angel, Quistis." He grinned.

Squall and Seifer just looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Drag was such a skirt chaser.

Squall put his head down on the table and groaned. He slammed his fist down on the table. "It's not fair!" The table muffled his sound, but he was loud enough to be heard by the other two and a half individuals who had come into the class.

"Mr. Leonhart, is something wrong?" The teacher, professor Deffy walked by and touched Squall on the shoulder. He sat up and looked up at the concerned professor.

"No, ma'am. I'm just a little mad at someone at the moment." Squall answered her, running his hands through his hair, which told Seifer and Drag that he was feeling a little nervous.

"Do you need to see the Guidance Counselor or the Principal?" She asked him.

"No, ma'am. I'm just a little frustrated. I'll be fine." Squall assured her, trying to smile but it came out as a bad grimace.

"All right. If you need to be excused just let me know, and I'll write you a pass." She left them, and the three waited until she was out of earshot before they started talking again.

"So who are you mad at?" Drag asked since he missed the first part of this conversation.

"Rinoa." Seifer answered for Squall, who was gritting his teeth and clenching his hands.

"How could anyone be mad at her!" Drag laughed. "She's so sweet!"

"Oh, yeah right. That's a laugh a minute." Squall spat bitterly. "She's definitely not sweet."

"I'm still trying to figure out why he's mad at her." Seifer whispered to Drag as Squall glared at him.

"What'd she do?" Drag wanted to know this juicy story.

"She's just being a bitch! And it's pissing me off!" Squall growled. Had the professor not been in there, he would have said a few other things as well.

"Well, what'd the hell did you do to her?" Drag demanded.

"Nothing! I didn't do a damn thing!" Squall exclaimed, trying to keep his voice down so he wouldn't get in trouble. The Professor was already giving him strange looks as it was and watching him like a hawk.

"Well, you had to have done something. Why else would she be mad?" Drag wanted to so badly laugh at Squall's misfortune, but he'd probably punch him in the face. He'd been known for doing it before. Squall had a very short fuse.

"I don't know what I did to the little bitch! All I know is that she won't look at me, she won't talk to me, and I'm seriously pissed off because not only is she someone that I grew up with, but she's extremely hot!" Squall grabbed the worksheet on their table for bellwork and started it just as the bell rang.

"Oh, so the plot thickens!" Seifer followed suit and got the bellwork, too. "She's more than a friend now, isn't she?"

"Right now, she's really nothing. I can't get her to even look at me, let alone say something. It's not fair, I'm telling you!" He didn't want to come out and say it that she was getting to him, that she was driving him crazy. They probably already knew that, but he was playing it safe, anyway.

"I think you should just corner her somewhere and talk to her." Seifer suggested.

"Yes, but there's only so much that can be controlled when he's got her pinned up against a wall in a drak corner." Drag grinned, raising his eyebrows.

"Shut up." Squall hissed, glaring his cousin down.

"What?" Drag asked innocently. "You know what I'm talking about." He produced his mischievous grin again.

"Shut up." Squall repeated.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was time for lunch, but Rinoa just wasn't hungry. She felt sick to her stomach and the thought of school food wasn't helping her any. She just wanted to go home and crawl into bed, hiding away from the rest of the world. What could be better?

Second block was absolute, complete torture. Professor Mimid just went on and on and was even more boring than usual. Rinoa thought that she was going to die and kept her head down on the table for most of the block. She had a headache the size of the Galbadian Continent and just wanted peace and quiet before her head exploded from all the noise.

Seifer ignored Professor Mimid for the entire ninety minutes and focused on Rinoa. She looked positively miserable and kept her head down for most of the lecture that the professor was giving them. He was tempted to write her a note about Squall and pass it to her, but if she was really truly pissed at him like Squall said, then he'd run the risk of getting her mad at him as well. Rinoa was his friend, and he didn't want to lose her friendship like Squall had obviously, somehow done. But he also wanted to know why she was so mad at Squall that she wouldn't even look at him. He wanted to know what his friend had done to her. He wasn't trying to be nosy; he just wanted to know why.

_Maybe Selphie would know?_ He thought to himself. Rinoa tells her two best friends everything, so it'd only be natural that they'd know why Rinoa was so mad at Squall. It was worth a shot, anyway. If they didn't know or didn't tell him, he'd just have to find out some other way. The truth was out there somewhere and somebody had to know it. He was doing this for one soul reason: It was driving Squall insane. Squall was dying to know what he had done wrong, but Rinoa wouldn't speak to him, so it was up to Seifer to find out why. It was a hard job but somebody had to do it.

Seifer watched the clock after a while, keeping his eyes glued to the hands of the clock. He wanted this bell to hurry up and ring so he could confront Selphie. But then he found a problem. How could he ask Selphie if Rinoa was going to be standing right there? She would most definitely hear him asking Selphie why she was mad at Squall. He couldn't have that happen. He wanted to avoid asking Rinoa personally until he absolutely had to. He was afraid how she would react. He certainly didn't want her mad at him.

While he was pondering his dilemma, the bell rang and the class began to rise to leave.

"Miss Heartilly, would you stay after class, please? I would like a word with you?" Professor Mimid spoke from his desk. Rinoa nodded and remained at her desk as the rest of the class left the room.

"Go on to Pre-Cal. I don't know how long he's going to keep me." Rinoa whispered to Selphie. She nodded and exited with the rest of the class.

Seifer was so excited. He couldn't believe his luck! This was the chance he'd been waiting for. As soon as he was out of the classroom, he called to Selphie, who was almost halfway down the hall.

"Hey, Selphie!" He called to her. She turned around and waited for him to catch up.

"What?" She asked when he reached her.

"I wanted to ask you something." He said as they began to walk again. He had only a few minutes at max, so he had to talk fast. "Squall's really frustrated because Rinoa's really mad at him, and he doesn't know why. I was wondering do you know why she's mad at him?" He asked, but to his disappointment, she shrugged.

"I have no idea. I know she's expressed that she's mad at him, but she really hasn't given a valid reason why. I don't know." Selphie answered. "Sorry, I don't know more, but I've got to get to class. See ya!" She waved to him and headed down the Math hall to Pre-Cal.

Seifer sighed and mentally crossed Selphie off his list. Quistis was next, but he didn't really want to ask her. He'd leave that job to Drag. He seemed to like her so much. He growled in aggravation, making his way to Professor Screech's classroom. He suddenly felt very ashamed for being jealous. Drag and Quistis had been flirting for the past week, and it was difficult for Seifer to watch. He had to pretend not to notice, but he saw it all and was seriously bothered by it.

But at any rate, Quistis had to be asked. If he or Drag couldn't figure out why Rinoa was mad, then who knows how long Squall would last. He would lose eventually, and probably go off on Rinoa. Seifer wanted to avoid this, but had this bad feeling that it was going to happen regardless.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall, Drag, and Zion were lucky enough to have 3rd lunch with the rest of the gang, but right now it wasn't too fun. Things were a little off the cool at the moment.

Seifer caught up with the Squall outside the Cafeteria, and the guy looked even more agitated than he had this morning. He had this look about him that clearly said, "Stay the Hell away from me if you want to live to see another day."

"Still pissed?" Seifer asked him as he approached.

"Oh, no!" Squall produced this awful grimace of a smile. "It's beyond the point of pissed now. It's just flat-out infuriated. Seif, I can't go in there! I'm going to kill her if I get within five feet of her! I can't go in there!" Squall exclaimed.

Seifer just slapped him on the back. "Oh, you'll be fine. Just ignore her. But I still think that you should try and talk to her. What could it hurt?" He grabbed him by the back of the shirt and pushed him forward and into the Cafeteria. The rest of the gang was already at the table.

"Oh, a lot more than you think it would. Like, for example, all the bones in her body." Squall growled. Seifer continued to shove him in the direction of the table. Squall put up a weak defense. Had he really wanted to stay outside the Cafeteria, he would have put up a harder fight, and Seifer wouldn't have been able to touch him.

"Nah, you really wouldn't hurt, would you?" Seifer asked. They reached the table and set their stuff down.

"Probably not, but I don't think I'd trust myself right now." Squall answered. He dropped down into a seat and rested his elbows on the table. He ran his fingers through his hair many times, revealing to Seifer that he truly was aggravated and mad.

"Didn't your mother eve teach you not to put your elbows on the table?" Quistis demanded, joining them after she had gone to get her lunch.

"Go to Hell." Squall snapped, slamming his fist down on the table.

"Sheesh! Calm down!" Quistis laughed. She threw her hands up, but didn't know that Drag was standing right behind her. He grabbed both of her hands and twirled her around until her arms were wrapped around her waist.

"Hey, now!" She laughed again. "Let me go!"

"Um, how about no?" He asked into her ear.

Seifer had to hide his sudden anger. He was so close to jumping over the table and knocking Drag out.

"I'm going to get some lunch. Squall, you coming?" He asked his buddy, avoiding looking at Drag and Quistis.

"Nah, I lost my appetite." Squall waved Seifer away, and the blond just shrugged and headed to the lunch line, passing by Rinoa and Selphie as they made their way to the table.

"And I was just like, 'you are such a player! The only thing you care about is how much ass you can get. You don't care at all about the people who you hurt!' I told him what had been bugging me for the past few weeks, and do you know what he did? He just laughed. The little bastard laughed at me! So right now, I'm kind of mad, and if I see him, I think I'm going to scream!" Selphie was telling her. She set her tray down and plopped down in front of it. Rinoa held a bottle of water in her hand and looked in a whole lot more pale than usual. She sat next to Selphie and turned her head to watch her while she spoke, but she wasn't listening. At the moment, she wasn't hearing anything except ten thousand thoughts echoing throughout her head, making her headache even worse than it already was.

"Rinoa, are you all right? You look like you're sick." Quistis asked, genuinely sounding concerned. But, you know, Rinoa truly did look sick.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just got a headache, that's all." She answered, rubbing her temples. She figured that the headache had been triggered by the over-whelming amount of stress that she had been feeling lately. Everything was just getting to be too much. There were just times when she wanted to scream as loud as she could, but that would never happen, of course. She just bottled all her emotions up and went on pretending that nothing was wrong.

Squall studied Rinoa's face intently, knowing that more was wrong than she was letting on. She was trying to hide from them the pain that she was feeling and maybe, she was succeeding, if only by a little. But Squall knew better than that. He saw it in her eyes. He saw that she was hiding her hurt and misery. He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and make all that ailed her go away. He wanted to fight all her fears and nightmares. He wanted to do everything he could to be her knight in shining armor. If only she would let him, he would do all that and more.

Seifer came back moments later and was relieved to see that Drag and Quistis had separated. He couldn't believe all this jealousy that he was feeling, but he just couldn't help it. Things just weren't going as planned. He wasn't supposed to be bothered by the lack of attention she was giving him. At first, her constant flirting irritated him, but when she stopped and started flirting with Drag, that's when it started to seriously bother him. Was she doing this because he acted like he wasn't interested? He didn't know what he had been thinking. He should have taken her gamble when she offered it up instead of trying to play hard to get.

"Are you sure that you're feeling okay?" Quistis asked Rinoa, who nodded. "Maybe you should go home and get some sleep or something." Rinoa did look awfully miserable, like she was stuck in a Hell on Earth. And maybe she was. At the moment, things weren't going well for her. She was filled with a hundred different emotions, and each one of them were consuming her mind and pulling her into a state of depression that she never thought she'd have to be a part of again.

"I've only got one block left, Quistis. There's really no point in me going home now. I might as well just suck it up." Rinoa answered. She put her head down on the table, and Selphie gently rubbed her back.

"Does that mean that you won't be at Joe's after school?" Selphie asked her friend.

"If she's sick, do you really think she wants to go to a place where there's going to be loud noises that will make her feel worse than she already does?" Zell asked of Selphie.

"No, I'll be there." The table muffled Rinoa's voice, but they heard her.

"Oh, no! If you're sick you should go home and get some rest! That's just about one of the best remedies you can give yourself." Quistis' ordered her friend. Rinoa lifted her head and just stared at Quistis for a moment or two.

"I'm not sick. I've got a headache and a lot on my mind. That has nothing to do with being sick. I'll be fine. I just need something to clear my mind of what's been bothering me." Rinoa insisted. She wasn't physically sick.

"Are you sure?" Selphie asked her. "Wouldn't doing that just make it all worse?"

"Rinoa, you really shouldn't try to ignore your emotions. If you push them away, they're just going to get worse." Squall spoke very quietly. He didn't speak directly to her, but stared forward out the window of the Cafeteria.

"I know, but it just seems easier that way." Rinoa looked down to the floor when she responded to what he said. Part of her wanted to yell at him, to just explode like the hate in her had been telling her to do, but the other part of her, the one that won, kept her inner anger quiet, and she said nothing else to him.

The rest of their friends just stared at the two of them, watching them try not to look at one another. They were trying so hard to hide their emotions from everyone about how they were truly feeling about each other, and little did they know, they were revealing more than they thought to their friends.

The bell, announcing that lunch was over, finally rang and the lot of them headed out to their final block of the day.

Rinoa grabbed her books and took a few steps in the direction of the Cafeteria exit that led to her fourth block, but something stood in her way. Squall was keeping her from going, and she couldn't get around him. He wouldn't let her.

"What?" She asked icily, gripping her books tighter against her chest.

"I need to talk to you." He said.

"Now? I'm going to be late for class." She tried to push around him, but, again, he stopped her and made her look at him.

"Not now. Later. I need to talk to you. I'm getting pretty damn sick of this." He whispered harshly.

"You know, I don't have to talk to you if I don't want to. You've already said enough. Why don't you just leave me be? You've hurt me enough as it is." Rinoa pushed him out of the way, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around to face him once again.

"No, you do have to. You've lied to everyone in the school, you denied even knowing me, and now you're blaming me for something I didn't even do! I deserve to be told the truth, and you know it!" He growled, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"I need to get to class." She whispered. She wouldn't look at him and kept her eyes to the floor. She said those words but didn't move. He still held her by the shoulders.

"Promise me that we'll talk later. Promise me." He gripped her tighter, and she knew that he wouldn't let her go until she promised him.

"I can't promise you anything." She felt his hands weaken, and they slid over to her arms.

"We need to talk. I don't know how much more of this I can take, Rinoa. You've got to let me make up for whatever it is I've done. I'm innocent, at any rate. But whatever it is that I've done, don't you think I deserve to be told?" he demanded.

"Just leave me be for a while. I'm not ready to face you yet." She whispered, finally lifting her head to meet his eyes. He saw the tears begin to form in her eyes and instantly hated himself for his behavior. "Please. Just let me be alone. I'm not that strong." She begged him, and he could do nothing but oblige her request. He let go of her and stepped out of her way to give her a path to class. She took a few steps forward and then turned to look at him again. They locked eyes for a few seconds, and Rinoa opened her mouth to say something to him but didn't. She just frowned and walked away from him.

Squall watched her walk away from him and felt the anger rise once again. He was sick of watching her walk away from him while he still stood there without an answer. She was torturing him in a thousand ways, and he was dying inside because of it. She was blaming him for something he was sure he hadn't done. If he had done something to her, then she needed to tell him because he honestly didn't know.

He sighed and headed to his fourth block. He knew he was probably going to be late, but at this point, he didn't care. Nothing could make this day any worse. He had a massive urge to knock the crap out of the first thing he saw. Unfortunately, he wanted that thing to be Rinoa. He was so mad, it wasn't funny. She was pissed at him for absolutely nothing, and it was angering him more and more by the minute.

He just wished that she would come out and say what it was that he had done wrong, so he could make amends with her. He wanted to at least make an attempt to save their friendship. A friendship was one step closer to something more, and that was ultimately what he was after. He'd liked her since he was nine. They'd gotten so close in those in those few years and it was only natural that they knew each other so well. If something was wrong with her, he could figure it out instantly and would have done anything he could to make it better. But, even now, he would have done anything he could to make her happy.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa walked slowly to her fourth block. She was on the very verge of crying and knew that if anyone said one thing to her, she'd burst out into tears. She just couldn't get past her mind how mad he was, how the anger in his voice was directed completely to her, and how she ran away from him. How many times had she done that now? It had been quite a few, at any rate. She just kept running away from him, kept hiding from what she knew she'd end up having to face. It scared her that she was stuck in a room with a thousand doors, but didn't know which one to take. So she just stayed in that room, waiting for something to happen, waiting for someone to tell her which door was the right one. So far, no one had come forward, and she had a feeling that no one would. She was all alone in this place, and the fear was consuming her completely.

"I can't take much more of this." She whispered, walking into her fourth block.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

They never spoke a word after that. Every time Rinoa saw Squall, she felt three different emotions: fear, anger, and hate. And he glared at her every time they locked eyes. It seemed that all hope for their friendship was now completely gone. It couldn't be helped anymore. They were slowly heading down the path of ultimate hate and loathing.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was October 21st. Squall and Rinoa hadn't spoke to each other since that day in the Cafeteria, over a month ago. Their friends tried everything they could to make the situation better, but nothing worked. Squall and Rinoa were too just too stubborn to face the facts and just fix the problem. Rinoa was too afraid and too mad to look at him and tell him what was wrong, tell him what he had done to her. And Squall couldn't say anything to her without losing his temper. He didn't trust himself. He was worried that he might hurt her.

The entire gang was hanging out at Joe's. School had ended for the weekend, and they all had established that they were completely bored.

"I can't take it anymore!" Squall growled from his spot on the couch. "Every time I see her, I get madder by the second! She owes me an explanation. She owes me the truth, and I'm tired of waiting for her to come around and face her fears. If she hasn't gained the courage yet, then she's never going to!"

"Well, then go to her. Make her talk to you. If you don't do it, no one else is going to. You guys have to work this out because I'm telling you, it's getting really old." Seifer answered.

"I know. Trust me, I know." Squall sighed. He saw Rinoa standing over there on the other side of the room with Selphie and Quistis. He wanted to go over there and make her talk to him, but he wasn't sure if he should.

Rinoa wasn't hearing a single word that Quistis and Selphie were saying. She was lost in her thoughts and could feel Squall's gaze on her. She knew that he'd been watching her every move, and she wanted to turn around and look at him. She wanted to tell him off for everything that he had done. She didn't have the strength to go over there unfortunately.

"Fuck it." Squall growled. He stood and walked across the room to Rinoa. She looked around as he came closer and locked eyes with him momentarily, and he saw the look of pure terror in her face.

"I don't mean to bother you guys, but Rinoa, I need to talk to you. _Now._" He said, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away from Selphie and Quistis. She did nothing but let him pull her and they went over to the now deserted area where he had just come from. Seifer and Drag saw him coming that way and the two bolted out of the way.

"We need to talk. Now." He demanded.

* * *

A/N: Ooh! I wonder what's going to happen next. Well, I don't but I bet you do! And I promise, next chapter you guys will know about Squall and Rinoa's previous encounter…

Later Days!


	7. Love and Loathing

Oops. I lied. You guys won't know the truth until the _next_ chapter. My bad! I forgot where everything was. Sorry! But I promise, you will know what happened, but just not so soon. Anyway, until then, here's chapter 7. It's one of my favorites only because of the ending. But I'm not telling you what happens! You have to find out on your own. But I will give you a hint: **_Song of the South_**. Nope! That's all you get! I'm in a playful mood. Can ya tell? He, he!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII. All characters, places, and ideas belong to Square. I also do not own the theme(?) to **_Song of the South_**. That belongs to Disney. I think.

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_Chapter Seven _**

****

**_"Love and Loathing" _**

****

Rinoa and Squall stood staring each other down with an overwhelming hate. Things had definitely not gone as planned. They'd been throwing hate at each other for a while now.

"You are such and asshole!" Rinoa yelled at him.

"Well, you're a stuck up army brat with a bitchy attitude!" Squall spat back bitterly.

They had been yelling insults at each other and threatening each other for quite a while now. What was supposed to be a talk to fix what went wrong ended up becoming one battle short of a war.

"Well, I guess what they say is true." Seifer had to try so hard not to laugh. Their friends so far made no attempt to stop the inevitable.

"What who says?" Selphie whispered, ready to jump out in between those two should anything happen, like the drawing of blood.

"That Esthar and Deling really do hate each other. You do realize that this could go on forever, don't you?"

"I certainly hope not. I don't think I could handle that." Quistis sat down on the couch next to Seifer, opening her soda.

"I am _not_ an army brat! And at least I'm not some punk city boy who thinks he's hard! You are so full of yourself! You think you're so great! You're cocky and you're a smartass!" She yelled, emphasizing everything. "And why don't you tell your president to grow up and learn how to run a country." She turned her back on him and walked away, finally ending their long, brutal feud.

The look on Squall's face showed much more than anger. Pain reflected on his face and he did not say anything. He had the urge to walk over to her and knock the living crap out of her, but he wasn't brought up to do that. He wouldn't harm her physically. He now wanted to leave that alone. What she said hurt him more than she knew.

"Oh, shit! I can't believe she said that!" Seifer gasped. He looked at Squall and then at Rinoa's retreating figure as she walked out the door.

"I'm guessing she hit a real soft spot." Selphie suggested, watching Squall carefully. "He must really like his president."

"Really like him? That's his father!" Drag exclaimed. "And Squall knows that his dad is a very, uh, different ruler, but Laguna knows what he's doing. He just has a roundabout way of going there."

"President Loire is his father?" Quistis shrieked. She suddenly had a very sick feeling in her stomach and gripped the can, sensing it crush beneath her fingers.

"Ugh! How could Rinny be so cruel?" Selphie moaned.

"You know, it could be possible that she didn't know that Laguna was his father." Drag speculated. "He doesn't share Laguna's last name."

"But her father is General Caraway!" Selphie protested, in shock that Rinoa could actually have the nerve to say something like that.

"Hey, drop it! Squall's coming over here!" Seifer hissed harshly.

Squall made his way to the others with his leather jacket in one hand and his car keys in the other. He looked calm and emotionless, but the pain was on the inside, no doubt.

"Hey, Seifer? Drag? Listen, I'm going to go ahead and go. I've got some stuff at home that I've got to do. I'll see you later." He waved to them all and then headed out the door, same as Rinoa. His shoulders were slouched and his voice had been full of hurt. He usually didn't expose himself like this, but she had wounded him badly, and she probably didn't even realize that her words would have that strong of an impact.

He felt an undeniable hate for her then. But he wanted to know what had prompted her to say something like that. Did she know that the President was his father? Is that why she had said it? He felt so hurt. Yes, his father was very strange and sometimes very childish, but he was truthful and the people love him. All his life he had been ashamed of his father at one time or another, but now he knew that he couldn't be ashamed any longer. He loved his father. (_A/N: I know that's different. Sorry."_

"Damn you, Rinoa." He muttered as he started his car. He was filled with hate all over again and pain. And right now, nothing could help him. It was going to happen again.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa walked back into the building. She had gone for a long walk on this very cold fall day. She'd seen the error of her ways and knew that what she said was very wrong. She shouldn't have let her father influence her like that. Hadn't she said that she wanted nothing to do with that man that she was forced to call "Father?"

Rinoa knew that she had to apologize if Squall would hear her. She hadn't meant to say those words. She regretted everything that she had said to him. It was uncalled for, and she had been acting more through anger than reason. She'd been angry with him for far too long.

She rejoined her friends at the back of the large room where they all sat lounging and laughing. She looked around and saw neither hide nor hair of Squall.

"Seifer?" She walked up to the blond a bit hesitant. "Where's Squall?"

Seifer let out a nervous chuckle. "He left shortly after you did."

"…Was he upset?" Rinoa asked.

"Yeah. He wouldn't admit it, but you hurt him pretty bad, babe." Drag answered.

"Well, I wanted to apologize." She frowned and plopped onto the couch beside Quistis.

"I think it'd be best if you left him alone for a while. You crossed a line, a line that no one ever crosses in their right minds unless they want him to knock the living crap out of them." Seifer tried to calmly explain to her, but he slipped a little.

"What? No one has ever had the guts to tell him off? Is everyone in Esthar that wimpy?" Rinoa demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

"No, it's not the telling off that upset him. It was what you said about his father." Drag answered her, ignoring her little comment about everyone in Esthar being wimpy. He'd get her back for that one later.

"I didn't say anything about his father! I wouldn't stoop that low!" She protested. "I swear I didn't!" She added, muttering.

"Ah, but you did." Drag corrected her. He had been right. She didn't know. "Remember that little comment you said about President Loire?" She nodded, regretfully. "Well, that hurt him because President Loire is his father."

Rinoa's jaw dropped completely. She felt sick, absolutely sick. She choked out the words, "Please tell me that's not true."

"It's true. Sorry. President Loire is his father. He just holds his mom's maiden name: Leonhart. He moved here because his mom wanted to get him away from the bad influences of Esthar." Seifer scooted down and put an arm around Rinoa. Tears were starting to swell up in her eyes. It seemed like crying was all she was doing anymore.

"Oh my gosh!" She just wanted to let it go and cry.

"I told you she didn't know!" Drag exclaimed.

"If I would have known that the president is his father then I wouldn't have said that! I swear!" Rinoa bawled. She pulled away from Seifer and walked out of the building. She made a straight beeline to her car. She knew what she had to do, and she had to do it now.

It took Rinoa a little bit to calm herself down, and she sat in the parking lot staring forward. She finally put her car into gear and headed to Squall's house. He lived half a block away from her on Avenue Q in a huge mansion-like house. She and Squall, along with the rest of their friends, lived in the same prestigious neighborhood on the east side of Balamb. Only if you had a lot of money did you live in that neighborhood.

As Rinoa put into the driveway, she hoped he was here because she really needed to talk to him. Actually, she wasn't going to really be talking. It was going to be more like pleading for him to forgive her.

She was starting to become extremely uneasy as she walked up the front path to the door. She rang the bell, and at first, there was silence, but then there was movement and the front door opened to reveal a woman who just had to be Squall's mother. She was a bit hesitant on how to address this woman.

"Um, Ms. Leonhart?" Her voice was uneasy and her nervousness was probably obvious.

"Ah! Rinny!" Rinoa exclaimed. She ushered the girl inside the huge house. "I haven't seen you since you were this tall!" She moved her hand to her knees, grinning profoundly. "I told your mom to send you over some time to see me, but she said that you were too shy! It's so good to see you!" She laughed and hugged Rinoa, who returned the gesture. She barely remembered this woman. Most of her time during those summer adventures she spent all of her time with Squall.

_Squall… _

Rinoa pulled away from the older woman. "Um, is Squall here?" She felt so nervous again.

"Yeah, he came in a few minutes ago. He's downstairs." Raine looked puzzled.

"Can I see him?" Rinoa asked, her hands beginning to shake.

"Sure, honey, but be careful. He was in a sour mood when he came home." Raine pointed to a door beside the stairs. Rinoa took a deep breath and headed down. She swore she heard the woman say good luck and the door was shut. Rinoa made her way down, step-by-step, feeling like she was in a bad horror movie. As she neared the bottom, she heard the distinct sound of the strumming on a guitar and knew it just had to be Squall.

She reached the bottom and turned the corner to find herself in a den-like room. There were two couches and several chairs, arranged in a square, a large TV with about four game systems hooked up to it, a drum set in the far corner with a bass guitar leaning against it, and about a thousand boxes lying around.

Squall sat with his back to her, strumming on a guitar, head bent and shoulders slouched. She felt like her heart had been ripped out and the world was just going to let her bleed.

"Squall?" His name was the only word that managed to get out. She thought that her throat was going to close up and stop all airflow. She took a step forward but suddenly stopped.

He went on playing, completely ignoring her. He was still angry and hurt by what she had said. At the moment, he truly hated her. Yes, his father could be very immature, but the man knew what he was doing! And he certainly didn't need a Galbadian reject to tell him what his father was doing or how to do it for that matter. He'd grown up with it, and didn't need anyone to tell him what he already knew.

Rinoa knew that he had heard her, and she also knew that he was madder than Hell. She had caused it, and she deserved his anger. But she had come to apologize and that was exactly what she planned to do, whether or not he chose to hear her.

"Squall?" And yet she was still trying to make him hear her. "I know you're mad, and you have every right to be! I was out of line. I shouldn't have said any of those things, and I didn't know that he was your father. I'm sorry." She bowed her head and stared at the floor afraid to look up.

He stopped playing and placed the guitar beside him on the couch. He rested his elbows on his knees and closed his eyes.

They stayed just like that in silence for a long time, neither wanting to speak yet wishing the other would.

It was slowing killing Rinoa from the inside out. She desperately wanted him to say something, anything to ease her suffering. For too long she'd tried to protect herself, to distance herself from all the things that she knew could hurt her, but she didn't know, until now, that the things she thought would hurt her were actually the things that would heal her. She had been bruised so many times that she thought that if she stopped caring, it would go away. She had been wrong. It wouldn't go away, and it didn't matter if she cared or not.

Squall listened closely to nay sounds that she may make. He was angry, no doubt of it, but he was also human. Finally, it got to be too much for him to handle.

"Why the Hell are you here?" he demanded, turning his head to see her out the corner of his eye.

"I came to apologize to you because I was out of line! I shouldn't have said those things to you. I'm sorry." She took another tiny, baby step forward, but that was all she could manage. She felt like there was this gigantic barrier between her and Squall. The more she tried to get closer, the more the tension seemed to rise and the harder it got to breathe.

"Why the Hell are you apologizing?" he demanded, standing and finally turning to face her. He looked like a time-bomb ready to detonate.

"Because you didn't deserve that. I was out of line! I'm sorry! I don't know any other way to say it to you!" She cried out, fighting a losing battle to keep the tears away. She was nothing more than a weeping willow.

He laughed at her, a mocking laugh and looked away briefly. "You have no reason to apologize. I mean, it's not like you didn't _know_." He shrugged.

Rinoa opened her mouth but closed it again. She should have known. There was no reason for her not to. She practically grew up with him. She just shook her head. " I deserve whatever it is you have to throw at me. I shouldn't have been so cruel. And you're right. I should've known." She bit her lip and tried to be strong. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like she had to prove herself to him.

"That's where you're wrong." He walked around the couch to her. He wasn't going to let her leave until they figured everything out, and he meant everything. "You don't deserve to be hated over something so small. I've been hearing that all my life, and should be used to it by now, but I realize I'm not! Nobody knows my dad like I do, and nobody needs to tell me about the things he's done because I already know! Anything you want to try and tell my about my father I already know! I know he can be sometimes childish and immature, but the people love him, and so do I." Squall found himself yelling, and she just stood there, soaking up his anger like a sponge. She flinched twice but did nothing more.

"I'm sorry!" She whispered.

"Don't apologize! I don't want to hear it! It doesn't matter!" he exploded. This time, she jumped, frightened out of her own skin. "I don't blame you. I just blame myself. There's no one else to point a finger to except for maybe Hyne, but that would be silly to blame a creator, wouldn't it?" he turned away.

Rinoa watched the pain cover his face involuntarily, and she just couldn't take it anymore. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting him know that she was there for him. Through everything, she was going to be there. He held her hands against his stomach as her head rested against his back. He was so tense and angry, but his anger was no longer directed at her. He hated the rest of the world for his torment.

"_Don't leave me._" He whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere." She muttered into his shirt.

"No." He shook his head. "Don't push me out. Whatever it was that I did to you, I'll do anything to fix it. Please, don't hate me forever." He held her to him tighter, but she pulled away and turned him to face her.

"You honestly don't know?" She searched his eyes, his vulnerable spot, but they were lost. He shook his head. She closed her own eyes and nodded once. "Then I guess it doesn't matter."

"Good. Because I need you more than you know." He touched her hand lightly and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. He let her hand drop back to her side and looked into her face. She kept her eyes closed and he saw that wasn't quite what she said, or meant.

"It really does matter, doesn't it?" He asked.

"No, that's not it. I was just thinking about something else." She wouldn't look at him but occupied herself with pushing a piece of hair out of her eyes.

"No, I think it is. You don't lie very well." He touched her shoulder, gripping it tightly. "Maybe we should talk."

"Isn't that what we're doing right now?" Rinoa closed her eyes again to keep from betraying herself with a feeling she didn't want.

"No." He stopped and she opened her eyes. "I think we should talk. You and I have a lot that we need to work out. I don't want to lose your friendship. I care too much for you." He whispered.

Rinoa found the anger boiling up inside her again, and she had to look away before she lashed out at him. She didn't want to lose her temper. She didn't want to think that she had to hate him. _He doesn't remember. He doesn't remember._ She had to keep telling herself to calm down, but it only seemed to make things worse. "Let's just drop it. It doesn't matter." She shook her head and tried to stay calm. It wasn't working as well as she hoped.

"No, it does matter. That's why we should talk. I think it's important, so why are you holding back?" He asked.

"I'm not holding back. Just drop it. If you don't know, then we have no reason to discuss it. Okay?" She pulled away, increasing the distance between the two of them.

"No. Not okay. Don't I have a right to know what it is I've done? Every time we talk, it's fine for a few minutes and then, all of a sudden, you lash out. It's like I do something almost immediately that pisses you off. I think we need to work this out if we have any hope of saving our friendship." Squall tried to get closer to her, but she kept moving away.

"There is no friendship! How many times do I have to say it to you?" She demanded, backing up to the stairs. Right now, they were her only escape routes.

"Well, tell me again because I don't believe it!" He yelled. She glared at him and kept backing up. Squall was quite aware of her plan at this time and watched her closely. He intended on keeping her here until this whole problem was worked out.

"There is no friendship here!" She yelled back. "There is nothing here! It's gone! It's been gone for six years! It's gone like everything else!" She looked away from him, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. _Here comes the weeping willow again_. She sniffled, finally losing it; She couldn't pretend to be strong anymore. It just wasn't worth the wasted effort. She hugged her sides and cried, rooted to the spot. She would have fled by now, but she couldn't move.

Squall walked to her and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he held her there, knowing now that she was damaged. He was probably the cause for most of her torment, but he was also sure that General Caraway had something to do with it as well.

"Shh. Rin, it's all right. Shh." He rubbed one of his hands up and down her back while the other held her closer. She grasped his shirt in her hands, and he could feel her nails begin to dig into his skin. But he didn't care. She could draw blood for all it mattered, and he wouldn't care. "If it means anything, I'm here." He whispered in her ear. She just nodded and held him tighter.

"It does matter." She whispered through her tears. She was broken, broken in many ways, and right now, he was all she had to put the pieces back together. True, there would still be cracks, but time would fix those the most.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa opened her eyes and immediately cringed. There was sunlight bearing down right into her eyes. Her hands both whipped up and covered her eyes from the merciless sun. She groaned.

"Ugh! It's bright!" She moaned. It all of a sudden stopped, and everything was darkened.

"Better?" A deep voice asked her. She suddenly heard the light picking of a guitar. It was the same thing she heard when she came down to see Squall.

She immediately sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was laying on one of the couches in the basement with a pillow and a blanket. Squall sat on the couch opposite of her playing his guitar with a notebook and a pencil beside him. He gave the impression that he was writing music.

"Hey." He looked up and gave her a tiny smile.

"Hi." She ran her hands through her hair, trying to fix it. She stifled a yawn and looked around for a clock.

"It's 6:30." He said, reading her mind. He went on playing his guitar, occasionally stopping and writing some things down in the notebook.

Rinoa nodded and pulled her knees up to her chest and watched Squall for a few moments, thinking. If it was 6:30 that meant that the sun was going down and that she had been there since early afternoon. She hoped that she wasn't imposing on him. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden to him. She'd already made herself look like an idiot several times today.

"Are you all right?" Squall asked. He stopped playing and watched her. A frown had appeared on her face and her brows were furrowed in thought.

"What?" She looked up at him suddenly and shook her head." Oh, yeah. I was just thinking." She smiled weakly before looking back down to the floor. She heard the sound of his footsteps and then felt the weight on the couch drop and Squall's arm slide around her shoulders. She couldn't help but move her head onto his shoulder as his other hand ran through her hair, comforting her.

"I'm fine." She whispered. Sitting there like that with him made her wonder in this was just more than a regular friendship. They hadn't seen each other in so long, and when they finally meet again, things are just so tense. At first, they couldn't get along, couldn't be around each other without causing an uproar, but now things were totally different. She just wasn't sure what to do anymore.

"You sure?" He stroked her cheek.

"Yeah." She reassured him, nestling her head against him closer.

Rinoa knew that this wouldn't last. She was certain that something would happen to cause them both to begin to argue again. Their friendship- this newfound relationship- had no basis and couldn't last unless the truth was brought out. Rinoa, for one, couldn't just forget about what happened all that time ago. There was just no way. After all, you can't always get what you want.

Rinoa wanted to tell him that she should go, but didn't have the heart to. She wanted to stay there, with him, in his arms. For once in her life, she felt so safe. She felt as if all the demons of her past were gone, if only for a little while.

"You know, I should go. Mom will be starting supper soon." She whispered, staring down at her shaking hands. She didn't want to do that at all. She didn't want to leave.

"Right." He nodded and let go of her, standing up and extending a hand to her. She took it gratefully, but once she was up, didn't want to let go.

"Well, bye." She started to pull away, but he held her hand.

"Not yet." He pulled her back into his arms. She looked up at him with curiosity and tilted her head. He didn't say anything but cupped her cheek, staring into her beautiful brown eyes.

He leaned in and took her lips into his. Rinoa slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. He pulled her as close to him as allowed, feeling her body heat against his. Their kiss was beautiful to him. She allowed him to explore her mouth a little more intently, caressing her in no way that another could. His hands stayed at her hips and held her there against him, but he had to control his hands. They wanted to explore her body, but had to keep himself at bay. He wouldn't allow himself to scare her off.

They pulled apart, ending their beautiful kiss and stared into each other's eyes for the longest time like some cheesy romance novel, but it worked. The love was there.

Rinoa finally pulled away and headed to the stairs. "Bye." She smiled and headed up the stairs. He heard the door shut and breathed deeply. He had actually kissed her!

_"Plenty of sunshine floatin' my way. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay."_ He sang softly with a big smile.

* * *

A/N: THAT is why it's my favorite part! Heh, hee! That's all from me! Later Days! R&R! Thanks!


	8. The Truth

I really don't like this chapter... you'll see why in my A/N.

Chapter 8! Hey, has anyone noticed that I've been updating this one story more often than I have any other story? It's weird, isn't it? Well, I can safely say that I'll be able to update all my stories now that school is out. Yep, I'm done and I'm now a junior! Isn't that so exciting! Okay, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII. All characters, places, and ideas belong to Square.

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_Chapter Eight _**

_"The Truth" _

Rinoa's drive home gave her a good opportunity to think alone. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was different. Was the change in her? Was it in someone else? Had her environment changed? Something had, but she was unsure of what.

When she pulled into her driveway, she just turned off her car and sat there, not wanting to get out or do anything. She needed to clear out her thoughts. There was just too much crowding within her head.

What had really happened? There had been a break somewhere. Someone had given in. That would explain the strange things that had been happening lately. Her emotions had been all over the place. One minute she was fine, and the next she was either crying a river or screaming her lungs out, and it all seemed to happen when she was around Squall or thinking about him. What was he doing to her? Was he the one causing all these odd things to happen to her? Or maybe it was because of her past events.

She was surprised the first time she saw him again. He looked so much older with his hair grown out and how he had gotten taller. She used to be a few inches taller than him, and he would tease her about it, making her mad. He was also buff now, and sometimes when he wore a tight tee shirt, she found herself staring at his rippling muscles. There was just something sexy about a buff guy.

And his scar! The first time Rinoa saw that scar, it scared her to death. She wondered and wondered how he had gotten it and finally noticed that Seifer had the exact same scar only mirrored. She remembered Seifer telling her one time that he had gotten the scar in an accident with a friend. She asked him about Squall's scar and if he had gotten it the same way. Seifer had told her yes but said nothing more about the subject. So that left Rinoa to wonder about the nature of the accident. At any rate, she had feared that scar. It did nothing but actually add to his features, and yet it still scared her. He was good-looking, there was no doubt about that, and he could get any girl in school that he chose, but he didn't even try. It was as if he didn't even care. Maybe Seifer had been right when he said that Squall was picky.

Figuring that it was pointless to just sit there, Rinoa sighed and finally got out of the car. She saw her mother's car and continued into the house.

"Mom?" She called, closing the front door behind her. The smell of roast, potatoes, and vanilla smacked her right in the face, and she followed her nose into the kitchen. Rinoa found her mother working diligently over the stove. The dining table was set out with her mother's best china and the extra leaves for the table were put in as well. There were candles and the silk tablecloth. She hadn't seen the table, or the dining room for that matter; this dressed up in a long time.

"Mom? What's the occasion?" Rinoa asked her mother while stealing glances at the dining room.

"Oh! Hi, honey!" Julia whipped past her daughter to the fridge. She kissed her quickly and dove into the fridge. "We're going to have a whole lot of company tonight. I'm thinking about ten people and then some. Ronnie and Christy Trepe are back from Shumi, My editor, John, will be here, too, and I think he may be bringing his nephews. The two little ones. You remember them, right? And my lawyer, Sandra, will be joining us as well, and then a few more people. Honey, it's going to be hectic tonight Can you give me a hand?" She nearly dropped some of the food in her arms, trying to get to the counter. Rinoa grabbed some of the things to relieve her mother and set them on the table for her.

"He's bringing the really little ones?" Rinoa asked, immediately dreading the fact that she knew that she would be the one stuck babysitting.

"Yes, honey. They're coming with John and spending the weekend. From what John has told me they're extremely excited to see you. They think you're just so fun, and you're so good with them, dear." Julia smiled and grabbed a knife and the bag of carrots. She began chopping them like there was no tomorrow.

"Yeah, I guess. Is there anything I can do, mom?" Rinoa asked, thinking about all the times those two had gotten her into trouble, running off and getting into things.

"No, honey. I think I have it covered. Why don't you go wash up?" Julia dropped her carrot and knife and ushered Rinoa out of the kitchen. She stood there for a few minutes, a little shocked that her mother had practically thrown her out of the kitchen. She had only asked to help. She smiled and headed up stairs with her stuff. The least she could do was put on something nice and look presentable. So, she searched her closet for something, anything that would be nice. This dinner obviously meant a lot to her mother, and so she could at least try to make the evening pleasant enough. So far, nothing suited her. There were things that were too dressy or not dressy enough. She just couldn't find anything in between. She wasn't trying to be picky; she just wanted to make this evening special for her mom.

"Ugh!" She sighed, dropping down onto her bed. She stared into the closet and the dresser. She had already ruled out any jeans. Jeans weren't appropriate for a fancy dinner, and neither were tee shirts. She finally, after a long debate, went with a pair of pin stripped slacks and a white blouse.

Going back downstairs, she found her mother in the entrance hall with Ronnie and Christy Trepe, taking their coats from them. Quistis was behind them, looking positively miserable. She looked up and saw Rinoa standing at the base of the stairs.

"Rinoa! Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed. "I have a major crisis!" She ran past her parents and grabbed her arm and the two proceeded up to Rinoa's room.

"What's the problem?" Rinoa asked the blonde.

"Seifer agreed to go on a date with me next Friday, and I have nothing to wear! I am in so much trouble!" Quistis exclaimed.

So Rinoa found herself once again staring at her closet from her bed, while Quistis searched her closet in vain for something to wear to impress Seifer. The blonde was so worried about what Seifer would think or act, and it made Rinoa wonder if Quistis knew that if Seifer liked her, really truly liked her, then he wouldn't care how she looked or what she wore. He should be flattered that Quistis wanted to impress him, but he shouldn't care that she wanted to look perfect. There is no one who is perfect. Rinoa wished that the human race could accept and respect that factor. Rinoa, for one, knew she wasn't perfect and wasn't trying to be.

Quistis went through Rinoa's entire closet, occasionally pulling things and suggesting them to Rinoa. Some of the things she suggested were good and some were positively hideous on Quistis. She wanted to tell her exactly how some of those looked but didn't have the heart to. She didn't want to be mean, so all she did was nod or shake her head.

"So, what's going on with you and Squall? Drag said that you've been with Squall since you left Joe's." Quistis asked while looking through an assortment of Rinoa's blouses and tee shirts. "Are you two still mortal enemies or what?" She wouldn't look at Rinoa for fear as to how the girl would react to her questioning. Instead she continued her search in the closet, hoping that she was getting one step closer to a perfect outfit.

Surprisingly, Rinoa wasn't mad by the questions Quistis had asked her. She just sighed and tried to find an appropriate answer for her. Unfortunately, there wasn't one.

"I don't know." She sighed again and lay back in her bed. "Things have just been so weird. I don't know what's going on between us. He tells me he wants to be friends again like we were six years ago, but then he goes and kisses me and the I don't know what to think anymore." Rinoa answered, staring up at the white ceiling.

Quistis whipped around suddenly. "Whoa! Wait! He kissed you?" Quistis demanded. "Leonhart actually kissed you? When did this happen?"

Rinoa raised her head, blushing. "Yeah. He did."

"When did this happen? Details! Details! Come on!" Quistis exclaimed, suddenly finding this more exciting than her clothing search. She went over to Rinoa and jumped onto the bed next to Rinoa.

Rinoa laughed. "What's there to tell? And which kiss? He's kissed me on the cheek several times, but earlier today he kissed me before I left." She blushed and looked away.

"Kissed you as in kissed you, kissed you?" Quistis asked. She was acting like a little kid in a candy shop and being more juvenile than anything.

"Why am I telling you this, anyway? You're supposed to be searching for the perfect outfit to impress Seifer, not wondering about my whatever it is with Squall. That's not important anyway." Rinoa couldn't make eye contact with her and the blonde noticing that immediately.

"Oh, it's not, is it? Wee, I beg to differ. Tell me, are you guys friends or is there something more?" She asked, tauntingly. Rinoa glared at her but couldn't keep it up.

"It's not important, so don't worry about it. Go find you outfit." She pointed to the closet menacingly.

"Oh, I think it is. _You_ just don't want to admit it. You like staying in denial, don't you?" The blonde laughed and slid off the bed and made her way back over to the closet where she began her search again. Rinoa lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince herself that she didn't like him and that the kiss had meant nothing. But she knew that was a lie. The kiss did have a meaning, and unfortunately for Rinoa, it was a meaning that scared her considerably.

"Wow! This is perfect!" Quistis exclaimed just out of thin air. Rinoa sat up quickly and saw that Quistis was holding up a midnight blue silk dress with thin straps that went to about the knees in the front but had a tail to the ankle. It was a simple yet beautiful dress, and Quistis had most definitely fallen in love with it. "Oh my gosh! Rinoa, can I borrow this one? Please, please, please!" She ran over to Rinoa holding up the dress.

"Yes, but please take good care of it. That was a present from someone special." Rinoa found herself smiling at Quistis' fascination with the dress. It was a great dress, no argument there.

"Oh, I will! Thank you, thank you, _thank you_!" She exclaimed, hugging Rinoa. "This is sooooo perfect!" She let her fingers roam lightly over the hem of the dress.

They stood in silence for a few minutes. Quistis was absorbed in her "million dollar find" and Rinoa was caught up in her thoughts. She just couldn't get him out of her mind. She was beginning to question her feelings for him and was afraid that she was in love with him, which she feared the most of all possibilities.

Quistis looked over at Rinoa, who now sat on the edge of the bed. The look on her face was distraught and it worried Quistis.

"Rinny?" She asked. Rinoa snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to her. "You okay/"

"I don't know." She whispered. "I feel like I'm being haunted by him. All my thoughts keep finding their way back to him, and it's confusing me. I don't know if I hate him, like him, or love him. My emotions are just everywhere and I can't decide which one I'm supposed to be listening to or following. Is this supposed to be happening, Quistis?" Rinoa asked her friend nervously.

"Well, it could be. Right after I met Seifer I began to have mixed feelings about him. It was just like every time I saw him or talked to him, I'd get this feeling like my head would explode. And then, sometimes if I said hi to him and for whatever reason he didn't here me, I'd get really offended. It took a while to get used to my emotions, but everything is back to normal…somewhat." Quistis smiled and rejoined her friend on the bed.

"Yeah, but I've known Squall for years. Why am I getting these emotions now? I've _never_ felt this way before about him." She sighed. "I've always been just friends with him. Nothing more, nothing less."

"But you've hated him for the past few weeks." Quistis pointed out to her.

"Yes, but I had a good reason for that, so you can't use that." Rinoa frowned trying to keep her slate clean.

"But you still did. And Rinoa, you've heard the saying that 'best friends make the best couples' right? Have you ever considered that maybe?" Quistis asked her.

"Quis, I haven't seen him in six years and we were childhood friends. I thought of him as my friend. I promise!" Rinoa insisted.

"Yes, but now you're having these crazy feelings about him, aren't you?" Quistis asked. Rinoa sighed and nodded. "Rinoa! Have you considered that maybe you actually do like him?"

"I certainly hope not, but I don't think I'm going to be that lucky." Rinoa stood up off the bed and went to the door. "We should probably go down. Mom should have dinner ready soon."

"Rinoa, wait!" Quistis jumped up and hurried over to the other girl. "You do like him, don't know?" Rinoa neither said nor did anything to acknowledge that, so Quistis went on, assuming. "Well, remember what you said to me about Seifer? You told me to grab paradise while I can still see it. That was the best piece of advice that anyone has ever given me. Why don't you follow your own advice?"

"Because usually my own advice doesn't work for me. It's perfect for everyone else but me." Rinoa leaned against her door sadly.

"Now that can't be true! Every piece of advice works on everyone, whether or not it was their own. C'mon, Rinoa! Just try it! Just see what happens. Who knows? It could be the best thing you've ever done."

"Where have I heard that before?" Rinoa asked leaving the room. Quistis turned off the light, closed the door and followed her downstairs.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

When Quistis got home, she said goodnight to her parents and then headed upstairs to her room. She spent a few minutes admiring the beautiful dress that Rinoa had let her borrow. It was such a pretty dress, but she had work to do.

"Seifer? Hey, it's Quistis." She spoke into her cell phone quietly, not wanting her parents to hear her. "I have an idea and I need your help."

"Okay, then, what is it?" Seifer asked.

"Well…" She smiled mischievously.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall stared up at the ceiling for a long time that night. He couldn't push Rinoa's image out of his mind. He was hearing her voice everywhere within his head. He could hear and picture her the first time he met her all those years ago, when he lost her and then found her again. He had spent many hours wondering what had happened to her when he was in Esthar. She had been something of his best friend, maybe even more and it nearly broke him when she left. He remembered clearly the first summer that she wasn't there. He was thirteen, almost fourteen and he and his mother were going back to Winhill to see his grandparents like they did every summer. He had been excited to see his grandparents, of course, but he was more excited about seeing Rinoa. Summer was the only time when he got to see her. But when he got to Winhill, she wasn't there. That turned out to be the worst summer ever, and he never went back.

He continued to lay in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling. He'd been awake now for hours, listening and thinking. What time was it now? He didn't know and didn't care. He was never going to fall asleep. It just wouldn't happen. Not only was he wide-awake, but he also had too much on his mind that couldn't be pushed away. So he would stay awake, lost by these thoughts until the sun rose or until he could be free from them.

Some time later, he heard a car pull into the driveway and the muffled sounds of voices. He wondered who could be out there at this time of night, but remained in bed. He didn't feel like getting up or doing anything but lay there. The front door slammed and three sets of footsteps traveled overhead. He tried to listen for the distinction of the voices but they moved to another room. If he wanted to be nosey and let his curiosity get the better of him, he could've crept out to the game room and gone to the vent and listened, but he decided against it. He preferred to stay right where he was.

As he drifted in and out of unconsciousness, footsteps were heard coming down the steps. His door opened and light suddenly flooded his pitch-black room.

"Ugh!" Squall moaned, rolling over and burying his head beneath his pillows.

"Hi, son." A deep voice said to him. "Just wanted to say hi. I'll let you get back to sleep now." The figure retreated and darkness filled his room again, making it easy on his eyes.

Squall sat up and stared at his door, listening. What was his dad doing here? He was supposed to be in Esthar running a country! It was too dangerous for him to be out here! Okay, so maybe it wasn't that dangerous but still. He was curious but didn't want to go upstairs. He might have just stopped in to drop something off or staying for the weekend. But that didn't make any sense either. What would he be dropping off? And why would he be staying for the weekend? That made no sense.

He shrugged and rolled back over, attempting to go back to sleep. The key word there was attempt. He was still out of it and still burdened by many thoughts. He needed to talk to someone, preferably Rinoa, but didn't want to scare her. He needed some answers. He needed her to explain things for him. He couldn't handle this confusion anymore.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"I don't know if that'll work." Seifer sounded doubtful.

"Oh, come on! It'll work! It has to! They're in love with each other but they're both too stubborn to say anything to each other! So someone's got to give them a little push! They're a match made in heaven! We'd be doing everyone a huge favor!" Quistis tried to talk him into helping her little scheme.

"Since when have you become little Miss Matchmaker, Quistis? Dang!" Seifer couldn't help but laugh at her. She just sounded so funny, wanting to "help" Rinoa and Squall like that.

"Oh, please. I've always been little Miss Matchmaker. Why do you think there are so many couple, happy couples I might add, in our school? That would be the result of my work, thank you." She replied, sassily.

"Okay, okay, okay! Geez! Don't get offended! And what makes you think that Squall and Rinoa actually want to be together? You could just be picking up bad vibes."

"Bad vibes? Seifer! They are obsessed with each other! Of course they want to be together! I think I know what I am doing, Seifer! But I do need your help, considering he's your best friend. I mean, you know him better than anyone, right?"

"I suppose, but I really don't think it's going to work. They've been friends for so long, I just don't think it'all work."

"Ugh! I'm telling you it will, but to boost your enthusiasm how about we put a little wager on it. 50 bucks says they'll go out."

'I can't believe you! You're willing to place a bet on your best friend over a guy! I can't decided if that's low or just plain crazy. You can't be serious. Please tell me you're not serious!" He begged her.

"Oh, I'm serious. I want them together, and I know they want to be together. I can _feel_ it. Come on, help me! Please, Seifer?" She was the one begging now. She had been sure that the money would draw him in.

"Okay, fine. But if it doesn't work, you owe me 50 bucks, got it?"

"Aye, aye Capt'n!" She exclaimed happily.

"Okay, so what's your plan for this beautiful disaster?" He sighed. Why on Earth did he agree to help her? Why, oh why?

"Oh, something I like to call _accidental occurrence_." She grinned and he could hear it, too.

"Oh, boy. Why am I scared?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa sat at her desk, working on her picture for art, but she wasn't putting her mind or heart into it. Her hands were working on their own while her thoughts drifted off to the dark corners of her mind. She felt so restless and confused. Everywhere she turned there was another door with another set of questions but no answers. She was all alone in an internal struggle with herself, fighting her past nightmares, haunting her. She began to fear all that was around her, seeing her face or the face of someone who had harmed her, and the nightmares would gather around her, pulling her into darkness. She wanted nothing more than for the past to leave her alone. She wanted nothing more than to believe that she had never been to Deling City, that she was born in Balamb and had been living there all her life. She wanted to believe that lie, make it a reality. She had fought so hard to free herself from her own demons and was failing at that.

Maybe what she need was to go over the whole story of her life once more. She was old enough to face it and mature enough to accept it. And maybe un-bottling the past will essentially keep it form haunting her until the end of her life. What all could it do?

It all happened in Deling City. That was the source of al her torment. And her biological father just happened to be the one who made her torment happen. It probably started the day she was born. General Caraway had wanted a boy. He already had an older son but had a thing against girls. He claimed that they were useless and did nothing. He was furious when the doctor announced that it was a girl, and he demanded that Julia put her up for adoption. Of course, Julia refused. So for the first few years of her life, General Caraway denied having a daughter. He kept her at the mansion when it came time for Rinoa to go to school. He hired the best home-schooling tutor available, on Julia's orders, and kept her at home. By the time she was nine, she was working ahead of the others her age. He kept her confined to the house, never allowing her to go out or anything.

Finally, her mother had enough of the abuse that he pushed upon her and Rinoa. She filed for divorce and left him, but the torment wasn't over for Rinoa. General Caraway began to take all his rage out on Rinoa whenever he saw her. He said that he hated her and that she was no child of his. When her mother moved her to Timber, the real problems started. She began to see her brother's friends and when she was sixteen, the worst happened ever. One of her brother's friends hurt her completely. And it was someone who had meant a whole lot to her. He was in Timber for the fall break, and he didn't recognize her. As a sick joke, he and another guy, named Sling, decided to find two girls and use them for a meaningless, low pleasure. They had been both very drunk, and Rinoa just happened to be one of those girls because her brother wasn't there to protect her. After it happened, everyone told her that Squall had done it.

She had been appalled when she was told and couldn't believe that had been what happened. She had trusted Squall. She had thought that he knew her better than that, but obviously, she had been wrong. Very wrong. And she was hurt so badly by him, by what he had done to her. She hated him after that. She had trusted him, and he betrayed her. He cut her in a thousand pieces, shredding their friendship along with it. That was why she hated him when he came to Balamb. She wanted to hate him forever, keep him far away to protect herself from anymore pain.

But what made her feel even worse was that he had no idea what he had done. He kept denying that he had done anything wrong, and it made her wonder if maybe he hadn't. Maybe it was all in her head, but she knew that couldn't be true. It had been too real, too hurtful to be imagined. Or so she thought, anyway.

And now she felt so strange. He had no idea of what he had done to her. _He didn't know._ He had used her and didn't even know, and for whatever reason, she believed him. He sounded sincere enough, and something inside her was telling her to trust him just like she used to. Something was telling her to give him another chance. He had been close to her before, had been her friend before and there was no reason why he still couldn't be. She was just afraid of being used again.

So what should she do? That was the issue in question at the moment. She needed an answer, and there was no one there to tell her what to do. No one to give her a clue as to which door to take, which one was the right one. There was no one there for her. She was on her own. She was all alone in a world of darkness.

And needed help.

* * *

A/N: Well, there you go. There's the "truth." You'll understand the quotations later. I know that sounds a little weird for Squall, but there's another surprise in store for you guys, so before you yell at me for Squall's bad, out of character behavior know that there's more to come. And I was a little skeptical about posting this one chapter because I went back and reread that part about Squall and Rinoa. I wasn't sure if it fit right, but I guess it does. Don't yell at me too much. I'm still sensitive. Later Days!

And by "low pleasure" that was meant by humiliation, not sex. They were drunk. Think about it for a second. Two drunk teenagers…horny teenagers. But it was emotional enough since he was her best friend, but anyway. This was one of the chapters I wasn't too thrilled with, so it still needs some kinks worked out on it. I'm leaving now. Goodnight!


	9. Meeting Bryce

I was going to wait to post this chapter for a while so that chapter 8 could sink in, but I changed my mind. Actually, my mind was changed for me. Thank you, Beccy. Anyway, this is another fun chapter that I liked a lot, but I will warn you, it is pretty long. You might want to make time to read it or read it in parts. But do whatever you want and enjoy! (Oh, and I gave Squall sort of a bad boy rep.)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Final Fantasy VIII. All characters, places, and ideas belong to Square. I do however own Drag, Zion, Tony, and the idea of the addition to the Leonhart/Loire family.

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_Chapter Nine _**

****

**_"Meeting Bryce" _**

****

Rinoa, Selphie, and Quistis were currently at Quistis' house, trying to work on a project for Pre-Cal and having no luck at all. They kept getting off subject and talking about random things instead of doing the actual project.

"So when's the big date, Quisty?" Selphie asked excitedly. She sat on Quistis' bed with her textbook and math binder.

"Friday night, and I just can't wait! I'm so excited and nervous all at the same time and everything else!" Quistis was just grinning from ear to ear, so happy. She was finally getting what she wanted, which was funny because she usually always got what she wanted anyway.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know. It's all you've been talking about since yesterday. Seifer this. Seifer that. We know you're happy. Congrats. But don't lose it, okay?" Rinoa pushed her stuff away and climbed onto the bed next to Selphie. Selphie laughed at her friend's lack of enthusiasm for the situation.

"Oh, don't worry. I won't. He's way too perfect to let go. I would hate to have to lose my paradise now that I've got it, right Rinoa?" She smiled slyly and looked at Rinoa.

"Whatever." The raven-haired girl rolled her eyes and looked away. She hid her smile as she thought of Squall. That was his word.

"Speaking of paradise, what's going on between you and Squall?" Quistis asked innocently.

"Nothing. I haven't talked to him. And frankly, I don't care." She was surprised that she had been able to say that with a straight face, not mention confidently, knowing that she was telling a bold-faced lie. She _did_ care. Oh, yes. She cared, but the problem was, she didn't want to.

"Yes, you do!" Selphie nudges Rinoa, giggling again.

"No, I don't! End of discussion!" Rinoa barked unexpectedly, scaring Selphie and Quistis. She was beginning to act severely out of character.

"Okay! Okay! Don't get so defensive!" Quistis jumped up and laughed. Rinoa glared at her. "Anyway, let's get away from this project for a while and see if the guys are down at Joe's. Plus, a little fresh air will do some of us good." She headed to the door and at that last part glanced at Rinoa.

"Why don't I trust you?" Rinoa asked as they left.

"Oh, you're just paranoid." Quistis grinned.

"Right. And paranoia will destroy ya, right?" She rolled her eyes.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"This is never going to work! I don't know where she got this crazy idea, but it's never going to work! Why did I agree to help her? Why? Why?" Seifer exclaimed, pacing back and forth across the floor at Joe's. He looked positively paranoid and definitely ruffled up.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Drag demanded, chugging down a root beer and watching Seifer in sheer confusion.

"Oh, I agreed to help Quistis do something and I'm regretting it badly. I swore it's never going to work, but what did I do? I went and agreed to help her! I am so stupid!" He moaned, finally sitting down.

"Yes, we get that part!" Zion exclaimed.

"But _what_ did you agree to do? That's what I want to know. All you've been saying is that you know it's not going to work and that you shouldn't have agreed to help her. What did you agree to help her do?" Drag demanded.

Seifer sighed deeply and hung his head. "I agreed to help her put Squall and Rinoa together. She seems to think that they're perfect for each other and want to be together. And she suckered me into bringing in money! We're betting with 50 bucks on the table! It's crazy! I shouldn't have agreed to do anything! It's never going to work! And get this, she's even already concocted a master plan!" He complained.

"You don't think it's going to work? He's crazy about her! They would make one perfect couple!" Drag exclaimed.

"Oh, no! Not you, too! I'm telling you it's not going to work! Just because he likes her doesn't mean that she likes him back! Why is everyone getting so worked up over this?" Seifer demanded, failing to understand from where everyone got this crazy idea.

"Dude, right now, you're the only one getting worked up over it 'cause you've got a very limited faith. But, I have an idea." Drag smiled that one little smile that told you he was concocting some sort of mischievous plan. And that plan was most likely to get him and those involved into a whole lot of trouble.

"And why am I suddenly afraid? Why?" Seifer rolled his eyes.

"Because. Anyway, let's make this fun AND interesting. Why don't we add a bit more money to this pot? $100 says they'll be dating within 2 weeks. That's the fun part. Now, let's bring in the interesting part. We can put them to the test. We'll bring in the 'relationship crasher.' Now that will be interesting!" He laughed at Zion and Seifer's expressions. They both sat there, completely slack-jawed and staring at him like he was insane.

"I'm in for the money part, but I don't know about bringing _him_ into the picture; that's just dangerous. Squall would _not_ be happy. He'd kill him and us, too!" Zion looked afraid, genuinely afraid.

"And besides, he's not even here. How are we going to get him to help if he's not here?" Seifer challenged, finding immediate flaw in this brilliant plan.

"Oh, he's here. Laguna brought him late last night and Aunt Raine let him have it! At, like, 2 in the morning, Raine was giving him her worst lecture. And you should have seen Squall's face this morning when he saw him. It was so funny!" Zell laughed hysterically, rolling onto the floor.

"So what say you, Seif? Are you willing for a little challenge? It's gonna be good!" Drag asked him. If Quistis could sucker him in, then so could he.

"I have a bad feeling about this, but what the heck, I'm in." Seifer shook his head and sighed. "I can already see my head on a silver platter. He's going to kill us, you realize that, don't you?"

"Yeah, but won't it feel good to get him? I mean, we can still make sure he gets his girl but we'll have fun in the process. And plus, he won't kill us; he'll kill the one who's actually going to be doing the crashing, so we're clean!" Drag grinned, obviously having worked this out already.

"Yeah, all we're going to be doing is sending him to an early grave. No biggie." Zion agreed, shrugging.

"Why me? Why me?"" Seifer demanded. "And where did I find such crazy friends?"

"In Esthar, where else to you find crazy people?" Zion asked.

"Galbadia." Drag answered. He then laughed and Zion eventually got the joke.

"Oh, we're dead. We are so dead. I can see it now: _'Four teens died yesterday at the hands of Squall Leonhart, crazed psychotic mastermind who brutally murdered the four guys for tampering with his relationship!'_" Seifer exclaimed, jumping up in hysteria. "He's going to brutally murder us! Murder! Do you hear me? MURDER!"

"Ah, what he doesn't know won't hurt us. We'll just put all the blame on our little crony. We'll be fine." Drag said, calmly, definitely not getting all worked up on this like poor Seifer was. Seifer was flat out paranoid.

"But this is Squall we're talking about! And you and I both know that he has many ways of finding answers to things. Come on, he gets what he wants because of his crazy determination! He's going to find out and he's going to kill us! And he's going to make it slow and painful just because he's evil like that! This is crazy!" Seifer yelled, jumping up and down again, flailing around like a fish out of water.

"Will you calm down? It's not going to be that bad. Yeah, if he does find out –which he won't- he'll probably be mad, but then he'll laugh it off and everything will be fine." Drag slapped Seifer on the back, who now sat with his head bent, shaking it in disbelief.

"After he brutally murders us, of course." Zion pointed out, grinning.

"ARGH!" Seifer yelled.

"Nah, I'm just kidding. He's not going to brutally murder us. He might murder us, but I don't think it's going to be brutally." Zion's grin grew bigger, and Seifer glared at him. "I mean, even he's got_ some_ class."

"Surprisingly, you're not helping much." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back into the couch.

"That's what I'm here for!" Zion said.

"Yeah, right. Okay. If you insist." Seifer frowned. "I still think that we are going to be in so much trouble. I can just feel the pain already." He shuddered at the thought.

"Oh, grow up. It'll be okay. I promise." Drag reassured him. Seifer gave him a look that said, _"Why should I trust you?"_

"And if it's not okay? What then?" Seifer demanded of him.

"Ya gotta trust me on this one, okay? I'll make sure nothing happens- to us, anyway." Drag grinned again.

And I still don't trust you, but I'm in, I suppose. I can already see that this is going to end in tragedy. I can already see it." Seifer sighed and momentarily glared at Drag.

"Well, now what exactly are we going to do? We've got to have a plan, you know." Zion asked. The two guys shrugged.

"Don't know. I've got to ask Quistis what she plans to do. She's already mentioned the plan, but she hasn't said how it's going to be carried out. I wanna guess that she's going to enlist the help of Selphie and probably Irvine and Zell, too." Seifer answered him.

"Geez, is she going to get everybody to help? That's crazy!" Drag laughed.

"Well, she can't get everyone to help, considering that it's Squall and Rinoa that she's conspiring against, you know." Zion corrected his brother and in return received a glare that told him to shut it.

"Yeah, I know that, Dimwit." He snapped.

"I'll ask her when she gets here. She'll probably have the whole thing down to a T when she does get here." Seifer stood and stretched. The three of them had been there for almost two hours waiting on everyone else to get there. It was the first cold Saturday of the season and things were kind of slow at Joe's.

"Well, I hope she does because the less work I have to do, the better I feel." Drag said, leaning back and putting his arms behind his head.

"Well, my, aren't we lazy?" A voice said to them from behind.

"Yep." Drag turned to see Quistis standing there with her hands on her hips. "Ah, well, if it isn't the woman of the hour!"

"What do you want?" She asked, smiling.

"Where's Rinoa?" Seifer asked.

"Over there somewhere with Selphie. I think she's mad." Quistis pointed over to the other side of the room.

"Okay, good. We wanted to ask you about your master plan concerning Squall and Rinoa." Seifer lowered his voice slightly even though no one would have been able to hear them anyway.

"We? Does that mean you two are going to help?" Drag and Zion nodded. "Good. What do you want to know?" She joined them on the couch. The leaned closer to each other and certainly looked suspicious.

"Well, what do you plan to do and what do you want us to do?" Drag asked her.

"Hmm, I need someone to get Squall and Rinoa alone, separated of course, and get them each to admit that they like the other. _I'm_ pretty sure that they do, but some of us need to be reassured, and I believe that if they hear from themselves, it'll make this whole thing a lot easier." Quistis answered. "I don't know what I want to have you two do yet, but Seifer, I have plans for you." She grinned at him and he rolled his eyes.

"And how did I not see that one coming?" He asked aloud, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, don't complain. It won't be difficult." She turned back to the other two. "Right now, I have Irvine and Zell looking for a way to get Squall and Rinoa to meet alone. Needless to say, it's going to be a set-up."

"This is never going to work, Quistis. I'm telling you. It's never going to work!" Seifer exclaimed.

"Oh, shut up, yee of little faith or I will give you something more difficult to do." She snapped. He began to pout and said nothing more.

"What's Selphie doing?" Drag asked, occasionally looking over to Selphie with Rinoa, who looked madder than Hell.

"She's trying to worm a confession out of Rinoa. I told her to little by little bring Squall's name into the conversation. I think she's having some difficulty getting Rinoa to stay on topic. She's avoiding talking about him, or she was earlier today." Quistis glanced to the two girls. Selphie was smiling and laughing, but Rinoa's facial expressions were a bit more deadly, so to speak. She kept her arms over her chest and avoided making eye contact with Selphie or anyone else for that matter.

"Well, maybe that's a sign that this won't work!" Seifer said.

"Seifer!" Quistis exclaimed.

"Shut up!" The three of them said at the same time, glaring at him.

"I'm just saying. Maybe this is a sign, that's all." He muttered, distastefully.

"Well, don't say anything. This is an optimistic operation." Quistis said harshly. "And you're one step closer to doing all the dirty work."

"All right, now what's the plan itself? I mean, what it is that you're going to do?" Drag asked her.

Quistis grinned wickedly at this, "Well…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"What are they doing?" Rinoa asked suddenly. She'd been looking over at Quistis, Seifer, Drag, and Zion for the past five minutes trying to figure out what they were doing.

"I don't know." Selphie shrugged. Okay, that was a lie. She knew exactly what they were doing, but Rinoa wasn't supposed to know.

"They're plotting something. They look extremely suspicious." Rinoa then shrugged and sighed. "Oh, well. I guess it's really none of my business, is it?"

"If that's what you think." Selphie answered half-heartily. "Oh! I wonder where Squall is? I'm surprised that he isn't here yet." Selphie tried to add casually.

Rinoa turned to Selphie with a very puzzled expression. "Why do you suddenly care? It's not like he's incredibly important or anything. What is going on with everyone?" She demanded.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! I was just curious! He usually hangs out with those guys and I was just wondering! It's not like I have anything else to do! No harm!" Selphie said defensively, trying to avoid Rinoa suspecting her for anything.

"Everybody has been acting really strange lately. I feel like everyone is watching my every move I make and monitoring me like I'm some sort of lab animal. I just want to be left alone to live my life how I want to." Rinoa sighed. She sat down at a table and put her head down.

"Rinny, have you thought that maybe it's not everyone else who's been acting strange? You haven't really been yourself lately, either." Selphie asked kindly, not wanting to offend her friend.

"That was the first thing that came to mind, but you know, it's easier to avoid the real problem and think that it's the rest of the world that's changed, not yourself." Rinoa answered.

"Well, what's wrong? Why do you think you, well, the rest of the world, has a problem?" Selphie asked her, trying to be nice.

"I don't know what to think or do anymore. I'm so confused and lost. I don't feel the same anymore. It seems that everything is different." Rinoa sighed again, keeping her head down.

"Is it because Squall's here? Is that why nothing feels the same?" Selphie asked, thinking maybe, just maybe, she might get a confession out of her.

"That's when it started, yeah. Ever since he's arrived here, I don't feel like myself. I fell caged, trapped in an 'other' world and being watched at the same time. I keep thinking that I have to impress someone, that I have to prove myself. I hate these feelings, Selphie. I hate my moods that I'm experiencing. I just hate what's happening to me. I don't want to change. I've gone through enough change, and I don't need it anymore. I just want things to stay the same. Forever." Rinoa felt the tears begin to swell up in her eyes and was glad that she kept her head down so that Selphie wouldn't see.

"Maybe you don't have to. Maybe things can stay the same." Selphie touched Rinoa's hand gently. She shuddered lightly at contact. She knew Selphie was just trying to help, and she didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't working.

"But that's just the problem, Selphie. It's going to change regardless of what I do or say. I fear change. I fear what it's going to do to me." _Or what it has already done…_

"And thus us all because of Squall?" Selphie asked in disbelief. She couldn't put the pieces together that Squall was responsible for this.

"No, I guess I can't really blame this all on him, but it's easier to do it that way." Rinoa sighed again and tried not to cry. She wanted to but didn't want anyone to see her. She hated crying in front of other people. It made her feel weak and vulnerable, and she definitely felt weak and vulnerable in front of Squall. Maybe that was the reason why she was feeling this strange urge to need to prove herself.

Selphie looked over at Quistis just in time to meet eyes with her. She shrugged and pointed to the depressed Rinoa, but Quistis gave her a look that she didn't know what to do. Selphie sighed and looked back to Rinoa.

"Are you going to be okay?" Selphie wondered.

"I don't know. I hope so. But, Selphie," she lifted her head and finally looked at her best friend. Selphie saw how frail and pale she looked. "I think that I've reached a major problem. I never thought I'd ever feel this way before. I always thought it would be the same that we'd just be friends, but now, I'm not so sure. Selphie, I've really got a problem." Rinoa finished in a whisper, continuously shaking her head.

By this point, Selphie was really confused. "Rinny, what are you talking about?" She asked, completely and utterly clueless.

"I think I'm in love with him, Selphie." Rinoa's shoulders began to shake and she dropped her head back down onto the table.

"With who?" She had to hide her excitement and keep it completely curious.

"…Squall." She answered with some reluctance.

_SCORE!_ Selphie exclaimed inwardly. She looked over to Quistis and gave her a thumb's up.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Okay, half of step one is complete. Selphie just got a confession out of subject number one. We are one half step closer to out goal." Quistis exclaimed happily.

"Quistis, how do you know she isn't just saying that to make everyone else happy? I think we should call the whole thing off. You can't force two people to fall in love." Seifer, said, trying to get some sense in Quistis' head.

"Hello! This is the Matchmaker you're talking to! I do it all the time!" Quistis smacked him on the back of the head. "And how many times do I have to tell you that they want to be together?"

"Do you have any proof for this assumption?" Seifer demanded.

"She just admitted it! How's that for proof?" She shouted, jumping up in anger.

"Yeah, she did, but he didn't! That doesn't mean anything! And you know it, too! You know very good and well that you're just taking a wild stab in the dark! You have no idea what either of them want! You just want them to be together to prove a point! You just want everyone to see an example of your work!" Seifer exclaimed, getting tired of them trying to put people together who probably didn't want to be together. This was a walking disaster and it would never work. It would fail miserably. He was sure of it.

"And that is where you are wrong! I happen to know exactly what I'm doing, and I know it will work! You've got to have a little faith! It'll work! I promise. Trust me." Quistis smiled at him and held out her hand to him. He sighed and took it and she pulled him back down. "You have got to trust me on this one. It's going to work perfectly."

"I hope you're right, cause I don't want either of them to get hurt. They're both my friends." Seifer warned her.

"I have no intention of hurting either of them. I just want to make them happy. I just want to give them both what they want. That's my only intention." She assured him.

"And how to you know that's what they want? You could be reading the wrong signs." Seifer suggested.

"Oh, don't start that again! You're not trusting me!" Quistis sighed and momentarily glared at him. "Just shut up and don't say anything unless you are addressed by one of us. Got it?" Seifer nodded and rested his head in his hands.

"Okay, so this plan of yours, don't you think it's a little crazy? They'll never go for it!" Zion spoke up for the first time. He'd been listening and getting the details together in his head. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all up for getting them together, but I just think it's a little far-fetched."

Quistis sighed again and Seifer had a look of triumph on his face.

"What is it with you guys and trust? This is going to work. I promise. I know what I'm doing." Quistis exclaimed, losing what little patience she had.

"Well, I'm all for it and behind you all the way." Drag smiled at her. She returned the flirty smile, which almost immediately pissed Seifer off.

"At least I can count on you, Drag." She said sweetly.

"I doubt that." Seifer muttered distastefully.

"Oh, don't get so worked up. I'm not trying to move in." Drag mumbled to him. Seifer shot him a dirty look and went back to his previous state- pouting.

"Anyway! When are we actually getting this thing underway?" Zion asked.

"Oh, we just did. Rinoa just gave us what we wanted, and now we have to get it out of Squall. Then the real fun starts." She grinned.

"Quistis, if you think Selphie had a hard time getting a confession out of Rinoa, how do you think the person going for Squall is going to feel? He is the most stubborn person who've ever seen!" Seifer exclaimed.

"Well, then that's when we bring in the person who knows him best and who he trusts the most." Quistis said slyly and they all looked to Seifer. "And didn't I tell you not to speak?"

"How did I not see that coming?" Seifer asked himself. "I guess you're going to make me do it, then?" They nodded. "Tsk. Fine. I'll do it. I don't want to, but I'll do it. I mean, how hard can it be?"

"You just said yourself that he's stubborn." Quistis pointed out.

"Yeah, he is, but…" Seifer sighed. He was fighting a losing battle. "Never mind. I'm just going to stop while I'm behind. I'll get what you want." He sighed again, more out of frustration.

"Good boy." Quistis smiled as she patted him on the head.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. But if he figures it out and brutally murders me, I'm going to come back and haunt you. All of you." He growled.

"But that's part of your job. You need to make sure he has no idea what's going on. Just make sure you gradually slip Rinoa's name into the conversation and see how he reacts. If it goes well, we'll be able to move on with ease." Quistis told him, proud of herself for coming up with such a brilliant idea.

"And if it doesn't go well? What then? What if he doesn't admit what you want him to admit?" Seifer demanded.

"Then we'll go on as planned, but it'll make things extremely difficult, so you had better get it out of him! Do you understand?" She jabbed a finger at his chest, sending pricks of pain through his upper body.

"Yes, I understand! You don't have to poke holes in me! Ouch!" He grabbed her hand and pulled it away before she caused any permanent damage.

"Sorry, just had to make sure you get what we need." Quistis pulled her hand away and went back to Drag and Zion. "Now, for you two."

"What? Wait! Now? You what me to get it out of him now?" Seifer demanded, freaking out.

"Well, when you do you think it should be done? We don't have forever, you know." She snapped, having lost all patience.

"Oh, hey, Quistis, I think it would be best if we left him alone for a while. He really shouldn't be bothered right now. That would be unhealthy. He could explode at any moment." Drag warned her, scratching at the back of his neck. He wore a look of almost fear on his features.

"Why? What's wrong with him?" She demanded, getting more and more agitated by the second.

"Well, you see, really late last night his dad- our uncle- came by the house with the current problem." Zion began but stopped. He wasn't sure if it was such a good idea to bring this into the subject just yet.

"Which is?" She asked. She didn't want anything to get in the way of her perfect plan.

"Squall's little brother." Drag answered.

Quistis' jaw dropped. "Little brother? He has a little brother?" She looked to Seifer in disbelief who nodded. "You're kidding!" They shook their heads. "How old is he? Is he like really little?" Now she was just bursting with questions.

"No, he's sixteen, and he's Squall's mortal enemy." Drag answered her.

"Who's Squall mortal enemy?" Selphie asked coming over with Rinoa and sitting down next to Zion, who grinned to himself.

"Bryce." A voice behind them snarled bitterly. They all looked to see Squall standing there, looking madder than they had ever seen him, even when he was mad at Rinoa. Right now, he had this look about him that could turn anyone into stone like Medusa.

"And who is Bryce?" Selphie asked.

"I am." It was then that they noticed the guy standing beside Squall. Okay, not really beside, more like five feet away. He was about a head shorter than Squall with black hair, almost to his shoulders, stocky like Squall, but he was less muscular. He had slightly lighter skin, bigger eyes, green, and a narrower face. In other words, the two guys looked nothing alike.

"My gosh! You look like you're about to kill someone!" Quistis laughed, pointing to Squall, who's glance immediately shifted to Bryce.

"Oh, believe me. I want to." Squall snarled, cracking his knuckles. Bryce looked at him uneasily and moved away slightly.

"I didn't know you had a brother! This is so cool!" Selphie exclaimed. She jumped up and skipped over to Bryce. "Hi! I'm Selphie!" She stuck her hand out to him and Squall walked toward the rest of them, scowling the whole way.

"No, it's not cool." He muttered, taking a seat beside Seifer and across from Rinoa, who looked at him curiously. He met her eyes and saw the confusion. "I take it you don't remember him."

"No, I thought it was just you and Elle." She shook her head, so confused.

"He never came to Winhill during the summer, only during the winter and holidays." Squall informed her and she nodded.

"Yeah, it's bad luck for us to be in the same area together." Bryce laughed. He had a sweet laugh and a good-looking smile, too.

"Shut up." Squall snarled.

"You've been saying that to me for the past hour and a half!" Bryce complained.

"And you still haven't caught the hint, have you? Do you need me to be any more obvious?" Squall turned around and barked at the other guy, making him flinch and back away again.

"No, that's okay." He whispered. It was very obvious that Bryce feared his brother, and for good reasons, too. Squall could be _really_ scary at times.

"You're mean!" Selphie exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at him.

"He deserves it!" Squall growled, turning back around and settling against the couch with his arms over his chest. Rinoa couldn't decide if he was sulking or mad, or both. But whatever he was doing, she found it highly amusing.

'Well, anyway, welcome to Balamb!" Selphie said excitedly to Bryce. He muttered thanks and kept his distanced.

"Okay, when did he get here?" Seifer asked, leaning over and whispering to Squall.

"Last night. My dad came and dropped him off at around Midnight." Squall answered, tersely.

"Ah, I see. I bet that was a great morning surprise." Seifer chuckled to himself at the look on Squall's face. He was glaring forward with a scowl on his face that looked like it had been plastered there with Gorilla Glue.

"No, not really. I lost my appetite." He growled.

"But what's he doing here? I thought he was going to that private school?" Seifer kept looking back at Bryce who was now talking to both Quistis and Selphie and wondering how things were going to change now.

"He was, until he was kicked out." Squall muttered, obviously he wished that his brother were anywhere else but here.

"Kicked out! How the heck do you get kicked out of Grace Private School?" Seifer was completely shocked. It was almost impossible to get kicked out of Grace! The place was run by a man named Strickler! And he was the toughest principle there was! He never lets anyone leave unless they graduate.

"Do I look like the bearer of all knowledge?" Squall demanded, almost losing his temper. "I don't know, and I don't care. Just keep the little fucker away from me." He stood and headed to the exit, sending Bryce a deadly glance.

"He honestly hates him, doesn't he?" Rinoa asked, watching Squall leave in fury.

"Yeah, Bryce did something to him, and he hasn't forgiven him since." Seifer answered. He got up and headed over to Bryce where Drag and Zion had gone as well, standing with Selphie and Quistis. Rinoa decided not to join the rest of them. She, instead, went to the exit. Something was drawing her outside probably to go to Squall.

She found Squall outside, leaning against the wall with his shoulders slumped forward and his chin resting against his chest.

"Hi." She whispered, rubbing her hands over her arms fending off cold chills.

"Hey," He didn't look at her or move at all.

And so she didn't say anything else but leaned against the wall beside him, staring forward to the parking lot. She pressed her hands flat against the building, which just happened to be warmer than the air around her. She wanted to say something to him or have him say something to her. She at least wanted this cold silence to stop. It was uncomfortable, and it made her wonder if he felt as uneasy as she did, and yet, she was afraid to speak first. It took her some time to notice that he was intimidating to her.

Squall briefly glanced at Rinoa and then focused again on the inside of his eyelids. He was waiting for her to say or do something. After all, she had come out to him, and so she obviously wanted something. But so far, she had been silent. Was she waiting for him to do something, or had she come out here for another reason? He was curious now, curious about her intentions. What was she here for? He wanted to know badly if she was out here for him or just wanted to catch some fresh air.

They stood in silence for some time waiting for the other to make the first move and break the stubborn, cold ice that surrounded them. Rinoa was hoping he would say something first, while Squall was waiting on her.

He finally couldn't take it anymore and let his arms slide down to his side. A plan began to form in his mind and a tiny form of a smile crept to his lips as his fingers lightly touched hers. He kept his eyes closed and face calm, determined not to show any type of amusement in this or confidence. He wasn't going to open his eyes, but wanted to see her reaction. His fingers lightly played with her fingertips, and surprisingly, she played back. A smile found its way to her lips, and she let him do as he pleased. He eventually just laid his hand against hers, and they said nothing.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So what do you think of our little town?" Selphie asked Bryce, who had instantly cheered up when his brother left the room.

"It's okay. I mean, it's not Esthar, but it's cool." Bryce replied. He shrugged and leaned back into the couch. Selphie was on one side of him and Quistis was on the other.

"Okay, Bryce, dude. I'm dying to know. How did you get kicked out of Grace? No one gets kicked out of Grace! It's just not possible!" Seifer exclaimed, asking what had been bugging him since Squall told him.

"I know. I would say that I was talented if mom and dad weren't so mad at me." Bryce tried to laugh it off but the nervousness came through instead.

"But how'd you do it? That's what I want to know." Seifer said, rushing him to get on with it so he could ease his curiosity.

"I pulled one of my brother's stunts. This idiot started talking crap about my family, and me so I beat the fuck out of the guy. He ended up with his nose broken, and I was suspended for a week, but the guy kept saying stuff so I went to school while I was supposed to be suspended and kicked his ass again. Strickler kicked me out because I didn't follow my suspension order." Bryce told them, not feeling any regret and that was obvious. "Hey, I was just doing what my brother told me to do. He said that if anyone ever talked shit on me or my family, then he's just asking for a beating."

"Yep, that sounds like Squall." Seifer laughed and nodded to Drag and Zion.

"Squall said that?" Selphie exclaimed. "No way! I can't picture Squall saying that!"

"Then you obviously don't know him very well, do you?" Drag smirked. "Squall's a real bad boy if you catch him at the right moment."

"Ph, please, what's the worst he's ever done? Cheated on a test?" Quistis scoffed at the idea of Squall being a "bad boy."

"Um, try being suspended four times for fighting, thrown out of this place we used to hang out at with for fighting, and knowing Martial Arts and specialized fighting techniques he learned at a Military Academy that he was at for six years." Seifer threw back at her.

"Yeah, compared to my brother's previous actions, what I did was angelic." Bryce agreed. "And I don't think he's ever cheated on anything before in his life."

"Except Brandi." Drag grinned. Seifer held back his laughter, but Bryce rolled his eyes.

"But he hasn't been acting like a bad boy here." Selphie said, still not believing that Squall could be a bad boy.

"That's because he's playing it safe." Seifer told her.

"Yeah, usually, he's really quiet, wearing this scowl on his face 24/7 and never speaking except for maybe his favorite word every once in a while. That's usually how he acts, keeping to himself and staying away from everyone. He can be really cold if you catch him at the right time." Drag filled them in on Squall's normal behavior.

"And he's trying to impress some chick." Bryce added. They all looked at him with puzzled expressions.

"He told you that?" Drag demanded.

"No, well, yeah. It was part of the prep talk he gave me this morning." Bryce shrugged.

"He gave you a prep talk?" Quistis asked, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah, he was nice to me until you two woke up." Bryce pouted, pointing to Drag and Zion. "He told me that I had to behave myself, and if I get into any fights with anyone, he'll beat the shit out of me. No joke. And I don't know about you guys, but I'm taking him seriously!"

"It's about time." Squall snarled, coming back over to the gang with Rinoa behind him. Bryce grinned bashfully and moved away, but Squall slammed his hand down on his brother's shoulder, making Bryce flinch. "And if you screw up, not only will mom kill you, but so will I. Mom's pissed at me because I apparently influenced you, so don't even think about doing anything stupid." He kissed in Bryce's ear. The look on his face was priceless. He had this look of pure fear.

"I won't. I-I promise." He stuttered, swallowing nervously.

"Good." He slapped his shoulder again and then moved back to the couches to sit with Drag and Seifer and the rest of the gang.

"Squall!" Selphie exclaimed, jumping up and pointing to him.

"What, you were expecting maybe Prince Charming?" Squall asked, raising an eyebrow and being cocky, much to the annoyance of Rinoa and Quistis.

"Well, that would be nice, but what's this about you being a bad boy?" She demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

Squall just smirked and said nothing.

"Where did you hear that?" Rinoa asked, looking at Squall like she was confused. Squall? A bad boy? Now that's funny!

"They kindly informed us." Quistis replied, pointing to his pals.

"Yeah, they mentioned something about being suspended four times, being thrown out of a club, and knowing Martial Arts." Selphie added.

"Martial Arts? Club? What?" Rinoa shook her head and looked from Squall to Drag and Seifer.

Squall still said nothing but looked to his friends with an annoyed expression. He didn't really want to admit that was true, but what the heck. "Gee, guys. You flatter me. You really do." He said sarcastically.

_…Great. I just had to pick the one with the Bad Reputation._ Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"It's true! He's dangerous!" Bryce jumped up.

"Shut up, Bryce." Squall, Seifer, Drag, and Zion all said in unison, each glaring at the younger guy.

"I can see that this is going to end in tragedy." Bryce frowned, folding his arms over his chest.

"You guys are so mean!" Selphie exclaimed. She returned to her seat and wrapped her arms around Bryce in a protective way. "Poor little Brycie! He's so abused by his older, meaner, less cute brother! I'll protect you!" She said, talking to him like he was a little baby, but Bryce wasn't complaining. He didn't mind having a hot girl wrap her arms around him.

"…Whatever." Squall muttered, scowling.

"Oh, for Hyne's sake Selphie! He's not four!" Rinoa exclaimed, rolling her eyes. The little comment about Squall being less cute had more of an effect on her than she cared to admit.

"I can be four! It doesn't bother me! Four is good!" Bryce insisted, snuggling in Selphie's arms.

"See what I have to put up with?" Squall asked Rinoa, pointing to his brother. Rinoa nodded sadly.

"My heart bleeds for you. It really does." She told him.

"Hey, Quistis!" Irvine exclaimed, suddenly coming over with Zell. The two guys had been absent throughout this whole meeting. "We got it!"

"Yeah! We've got the perfect place for them to meet! It's gonna be great! It sets the mood perfectly and everything, and it was all my idea, too! Those two will be hitched before you can say Love-." Zell said excitedly, but Quistis jumped up and nearly tackled him to get him to shut it.

"Zell, what are you talking about?" Rinoa asked, finding him even funnier than usual.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. He was just leaving, right Zell?" Quistis said quickly, turning the blond around and shoving him to another area, like the exit.

"But I Just got here." Zell looked back at his in confusion as she continued to push him away.

"Yes, and now you're leaving." She insisted.

Irvine shrugged at the two and then saw Selphie with Bryce. His face became hot with anger, and he glared at Bryce.

"Who the hell are you?" He challenged.

"Oh, Irvine, that's my brother." Squall shrugged, not attempting to come to his brother's rescue at all.

"Yeah, feel free to pummel him if he deserves it." Drag grinned.

"Which is usually 99 of the time." Squall muttered in a lower tone, making Drag and Seifer both laugh.

"You want to see me inflicted with pain and agony all the time, don't you?" Bryce sat up and demanded of his brother.

"Yep. Pretty much." Squall showed no emotion, making Bryce frown.

"Yeah, well, hi. I'm Irvine, and I'm going to inflict some serious pain and agony if you don't get away from my girl." Irvine growled menacingly. Bryce slowly began to move away, but Selphie laughed and pulled him back.

"Irvine, I'm not your girl, so you can blow it out your ass for all I care." She stuck her tongue out at him and wrapped her arms around Bryce again.

"Oh, damn. I was hoping he'd beat the shit out of him." Drag sighed, seeing Bryce get out of beating. Squall nodded but said nothing. He wore the scowl that Seifer and Drag had talked about earlier.

"Whatever, Selphie." Irvine rolled his eyes and then turned back over to Squall. "Hey, Squall. I need your help with something, man." He began to walk to Quistis and motioned for Squall to follow. Squall sighed and got up to follow him.

Irvine talked to Quistis for a few minutes as Squall made his way over to them, but as he got closer, Quistis moved away and returned to the group. They watched Irvine lead Squall outside and suspicion began to rise in Rinoa's mind. What were they planning?

"Rinny, come with me!" Selphie had jumped up and grabbed Rinoa by the arm, pulling her with her. Rinoa had no choice but to go. Selphie dragged her over to Joe, where he let them behind the counter, and they disappeared into the back room.

"I thought I was going to get it out of him." Seifer said to Quistis, watching the exit door shut as Squall and Irvine left.

"You are. We just need to go over the plan real quick. Irvine and Zell managed to get what I wanted." Quistis smiled. "Plus, I figured that maybe Bryce could help and we could fill him in as well."

"No!" Drag and Zion both jumped up.

Everyone looked at them strangely.

"Why not?" Quistis demanded.

The two had to think fast for a good excuse.

"Because that would really piss Squall off. If you bring him into this, then there is no hope for this to succeed." Drag insisted quickly. Zion nodded at his side.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Bryce asked, confused. He looked at his cousins, then to Quistis, and then back to his cousins again.

"We're trying to hook Squall and Rinoa up." Quistis stated before going back to Drag and Zion. "You don't know that. He could end up being a big help."

"Yeah, a big help in destroying ALL hope!" Zion exclaimed. Bruce raised a questioning eyebrow at him and shook his head. "Squall hates his brother. It would cause nothing but problems, I tell ya!"

"He doesn't hate me. We just disagree… a lot." Bryce put up in his own defense. Whatever they were doing, he wanted a piece of the action.

"See? They just disagree a lot. So why can't he help?" Quistis demanded.

"They do a whole lot more than just disagreeing. Try living in the same house with them. One roof is simply not enough." Drag continued to insist that they leave Bryce out of the plot, but Quistis was determined and she found the two guys suddenly very suspicious. "Not a good idea."

"Fine. We'll leave him out of it, but I'm telling you. It'll work. So if it doesn't, it'll be your fault." She pointed at the two of them. They nodded.

"And we're telling you. It's for the best." Zion smiled warmly at Quistis, but she still wasn't buying it.

"Whatever. Let's just get on with it." She frowned, glaring at the two guys.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Selphie, what is going on?" Rinoa demanded. The two girls were standing in the back room with all the drinks and food that Joe stored for the place.

"Oh, I just thought maybe we could, you know, talk about the important things in life. Like boys, shopping, and other wonderful things that make a teenage girl's life so full of excitement!" Selphie said brightly, realizing that she had pulled Rinoa in here without a good reason.

"Right, Selphie. In Joe's storage room? What's really going on? What are you guys all planning because something's up?" Rinoa asked, looking right through Selphie.

"Nothing! What makes you think something's up? I just thought we could talk, and help Joe organize this messy room!" The idea suddenly hit Selphie, and she thought it was golden.

"Selphie!" Rinoa exclaimed. "It's already organized!" She threw her hands up pointing to the items in the storage room.

"Well, then it looks like we're done!" Selphie smiled brightly, grabbed Rinoa by the arm again and pulling her out again. She swallowed nervously as they headed back to the gang. She heard Rinoa sigh in defeat.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Quistis!" Zion exclaimed. He pointed behind her. "Selphie and Rinoa are coming back!"

"Oh, shoot!" Quistis muttered. "We'll continue this later when Squall and Rinoa won't pop up suddenly."

Selphie let go of Rinoa and walked ahead of her. "Sorry. I think she's getting suspicious." She whispered passing Quistis to return to her seat.

Rinoa followed and joined them, eyeing them all carefully. Yes, she was very suspicious. They were all acting really funny, and this time, she was sure it wasn't her. They were plotting something. They _had_ to be plotting something.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Selphie asked.

"I have no idea!" Quistis laughed, shaking her head.

_But I do._ Rinoa thought. _And I'm going to get to the bottom of this._

A/N: Yes, I know. That was really, really long. I'm sorry. I'm not very good at splitting up chapters to make them easier to read. That's why I give you guys warnings. J This was one of my favorite chapters, as you can probably tell. I'm working on putting them all back into their main characters, and the introduction of Bryce gave me a perfect opportunity to do just that. This story is something very laid back for me, and I wanted to do it my way. I hope that's okay. Oh! Guess what? I actually updated on TLR! Isn't that exciting? …Okay, maybe not. Later Days!


	10. Revenge Suspicions

Hey, y'all! I'm glad you guys took the Bryce thing well. I was afraid that I would get seriously flamed for that. It just fitted well, and I thought it would be funny. This story is supposed to be laid-back and amusing. I know. Everyone is out of character, I know. And that's one of the things that annoy me the most because I hadn't really wanted it to turn out like that. So I'm working on repairing that issue. The thing that bugs me the most is Seifer's personality. I really need to fix that…

Here it is, Beccy! You're favorite chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Final Fantasy VIII. Sorry.

_Life Less Ordinary _

**_Chapter Ten _**

****

**_"Revenge/ Suspicious" _**

****

The rest of the week was finished out without too much drama. Quistis and her team of devious Matchmakers continued with their plan to hook up Squall and Rinoa permanently; Drag and Zion had somehow managed to talk Bryce into helping try and crash Quistis' plan; and Squall either made no notice of what they were doing or didn't care because he stayed in his own little world and had begun to distance himself from the group.

Rinoa, on the other hand, found herself watching closely what all their friends did. On several occasions, she noticed them huddled up at the lunch table when she came over, and each time, Squall was not present, so Rinoa began to put two and two together.

It was Friday night, and Joe's was half deserted. Seifer was on his date with Quistis, Selphie was giving Bryce a tour of Balamb, and Irvine, Drag, Zion, and Zell were nowhere to be found. Squall had been there for a while now, peacefully keeping himself company. He had been seriously withdrawn and everyone noticed. Bryce said nothing on the subject, and Drag just insisted it was normal.

"Hi," Rinoa said quietly walking up to him and joining him on the couch.

He just looked at her and nodded, acknowledging that she was there and saying nothing more. He hadn't really planned on anyone bothering him, and her sudden presence shocked him. His initial plan was to be left alone, but even that didn't look like it was going to happen. Nothing was going right for him anymore. It was a curse.

"I guess everyone has other plans tonight, huh?" Rinoa whispered. Squall nodded, but he still remained silent, making Rinoa feel seriously uncomfortable.

Squall suddenly got enough of the silence and the boredom and stood, deciding to leave this boring place. He then looked to Rinoa and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She looked up to him curiously and titled her head, inquiring as to what he wanted.

"Do you have anything planned tonight?" He asked. She shook her head. "Then, do you want to do something? It seems like a waste to just sit here." Why did he feel so nervous? It was just Rinoa.

"Sure." She stood and followed him outside. He stopped in the parking lot and turned to her.

"Did you drive?"

"No," She shook her head. "Mom brought me." He nodded again and made his way to his car, beckoning for her to follow.

"So, what do you want to do?" He opened the car door for her, noticing her cheeks flush as he did so.

"I don't care."

"How about dinner and a movie then?" He suggested.

"I don't care!" She laughed.

"Dinner and a movie it is then." He glanced at her in time to see her smile and roll her eyes at him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The two of them went back to Squall's house, which was empty, and settled downstairs with plans for a movie and snacks. For whatever reason, it just felt right between the two of them. They sat together on the floor in front of the TV, debating over which movie to watch.

"How about something scary?" Squall suggested, holding up The Mummy, Eaten Alive, and Hannibal.

"How about no? The Mummy isn't scary, just stupid." She reached out and took the movie from him and set it beside her. "Eaten Alive is just plain gross." And she took that movie from him as well. "And Hannibal is just something someone pulled out of the bowels of Hell." She reached out for that one too but he pulled it away from her.

"Then what do you suggest?" He asked her, trying not to peer at anything below her neck. Her lips formed a small smile of mischievousness. "Uh-oh."

"I should make you watch a chick flick." She grinned at the face of disgust he was making at her while trying to hold back his smirk. "But I'm not that mean. Instead, I think we should watch something funny. After all, laughter is the best medicine."

"So we should watch Hannibal. It's funny!" He pointed to the movie still in his hand.

"No, it's not! Unless, of course, you think brutally murdering people and serving their brains and insides to your guests are funny!" Rinoa shuddered at the thought, feeling the chills run up and down her spine, driving her crazy.

"Are you implying that I'm morbid?" Squall asked, trying to act serious but failing miserably. A grin remained plastered onto his face and the look he was trying to give her clashed with the smirk making him look slightly demented.

"Judging by the evil face you're making, I'd say yes." She feigned fear and began to crawl away from him, but he reached out and grabbed her wrists still sporting his demented facial expression and pulled her back to him. She let out a quiet fake scream as he growled and pinned her against him with her arms behind her back.

"Ah! Let me go!" She tried to sound scared but it came out with more laughter and enjoyment than she had wanted to release.

"Never! You're my prisoner!" He laughed wickedly and held her tighter.

Memories began to flood her mind of the summers when they played without a care in the world and just as happy as could be. She missed the laughter they shared and the mischief they made. They were the summer terrors of Winhill. The Troublesome Two. The Two Musketeers. They were best friends.

Squall looked down at her to see her relaxed with a small smile on her face, staring forward. He saw that she was probably thinking about the past, and he released his hold on her, leaning back on his elbows just to watch her. "What are you thinking about?" He asked, being so bold as to move a stray piece of hair from her face.

"Do you remember those summers in Winhill when we terrorized the village, playing out in the fields and being the Troublesome Two?" She asked, feeling her own smile widen as she turned around to face him.

"Yeah, I remember. Mrs. Potson used to yell at us because we were getting too close to her flower garden." Squall knew he was smiling now too.

"And yet we were always nowhere near it!" She laughed, the noise echoing in his ears.

"Remember the creek where we used to catch frogs and take them back to the house?" He asked.

"And your mom would freak out every time and tell us if we didn't get those things out of the house, she'd lock us out for the rest of the summer!"

They laughed together just like old times. These memories were brining them closer together again.

"I miss those days." Rinoa said quietly.

"Yeah, so do I. That was the best fun of my life." Squall agreed watching her closely as she still sat in front of him. He wanted to so badly reach his arms around her and hold her. His hormones had never been this whacked before and it was nerve-racking.

"Are we going to watch a movie or not?" Rinoa asked him, sliding away from him. He was a little disappointed when she moved and he was no longer bathed in her warmth.

"If we can decide on what to watch." He shrugged and got to his feet. Rinoa looked up at him thoughtfully.

"I don't care. It doesn't matter." She whispered. If he wanted to watch Hannibal, then they'd watch Hannibal. She didn't have to keep her eyes open.

"Hannibal?" he asked, picking up the movie up. "It's really not that bad."

"I don't care." She repeated.

He said nothing but popped the movie into the player and turned on the TV. He saw Rinoa shudder briefly, and he extended a hand to her and pulled her to her feet then to the couch where they sat and the movie began.

It was about twenty minutes into the movie when Rinoa decided that she really didn't want to watch this movie. She kept her eyes shut and face buried in her arms. Squall, who sat about arm's length away from her, noticed and smiled to himself. It was amusing to watch her, but she was truly scared. He slid down and reached across her for the remote, putting the TV on mute. She looked up and blushed sheepishly, mouthing an apology. He shook his head, telling her not to worry about it, and they did nothing else.

It was silent for a while, making things difficult for both of them. The tension just increased to points of sheer aggravation.

"Where is everyone?" Rinoa suddenly asked out of the blue.

"I don't know." He whispered.

"Oh," She sighed and stared forward at the screen. The vivid images were starting to make her sick. She turned to look at Squall. "Have you noticed that everyone's been acting really strange, though?" She asked.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, it's like they're all plotting something, doing weird things." He replied.

"That's what I thought too." She whispered.

Like what seemed to always happen when they were alone, an eerie silence filled the air around them, annoying them both. It was suddenly very uncomfortable between them and they felt the need to each fill the gapping space.

"What do you think they're plotting?" Rinoa asked quietly, staring down at the floor, finally pulling her eyes from him.

"Who knows? But it seems that they all know but us." Squall replied. He looked over at her to see her just as uncomfortable as he was. The past things that have been happening between the two of them were making future situations even worse.

"You don't think they're plotting against us, do you?" Rinoa asked. She felt so nervous, and she knew he saw it in her, too.

"I was thinking maybe something like that, but I ruled out that possibility, thinking that I was just paranoid." He answered, standing. "But I am bored out of my mind."

"Yeah." She whispered. There was silence again, and she kept her eyes glued to the floor determined not to look at him. She felt his hand on her arm a few minutes later. He opened his mouth to say something, but he shook his head and grabbed the remote to turn the TV off completely.

"I told you we should have watched something funny." Rinoa gave him her best all-knowing; I'm, right as usual look.

"Yeah, well, things don't always go as planned, do they?" He retaliated, returning to his seat beside her.

"I suppose." She frowned.

Upstairs, they heard the front door slam, and the voices of Drag and Zion were faintly heard. An idea floated through Squall's mind, and he grabbed Rinoa by the arm, turning out the light. The two of them hid in the darkness, pressed against the wall under the stairs as the door opened, and Drag and Zion descended down the stairs.

"Well, that was a waste of time." Drag stated, hitting the light and jumping onto the couch.

"Yeah, you'd think Quistis would have had a better plan. That is never going to work." Zion complained. They watched him turn on the TV and tremble as he saw what was playing. Zion cut the player off and picked up the remote.

"Hey! What'd you turn it off for? I like that movie!" Drag exclaimed.

"Well, I don't." Zion replied. "Where's Squall?"

"I think he's with Raine. His car is here but I don't think he's here." Drag answered offhandedly, looking through a drum magazine that sat on the coffee table. "Why?"

"I don't want him to hear us. Quistis would be pissed if she found out that Squall knew what we were plotting."

"Oh, come on. He won't know. He and Rinoa will get together and never even know that they were set up. They'll fall madly in love, have hot steamy sex, and be happy for the rest of their lives all because of us." Drag sounded like he really didn't care.

Rinoa's jaw dropped, and she turned to Squall who was staring wide-eyed at Drag and Zion. He looked at her and mouthed, _"What the hell?"_ She shrugged and shook her head in utter confusion.

"You know, I can actually picture that happening." Zion found himself laughing at Drag's last comment.

"I know, right? Too bad it's not me, though. I mean, you have to admit, she is one hot babe. I would not mind hooking up with her. Wow!" Drag let out a low whistle that made Rinoa roll her eyes.

"Hey, we're hooking up _Squall_ and Rinoa, not _you_ and Rinoa. Plus, I thought you were going for Quistis?" Zion asked.

"Nah, I think Seifer's involved with her, but hey, I wouldn't mind just one night." He sighed, contently.

"Geez! You're such a player." Zion exclaimed, smacking his brother on the back.

"I know it, man. All the ladies just can't get enough of the Dragster."

"Yeah, right. Whatever. Keep telling yourself that." Zion rolled his eyes and reached for a bag of chips that sat on the coffee table.

Just as Drag was about to say something, the door opened and the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs filled the room. Bryce appeared and jumped onto one of the couches.

"Whew! What a day!" He sighed and put his arms behind his head comfortably.

"So, what do you think/" Zion asked.

"It's okay. I think the people and the places are okay, too." Bryce answered.

"And the girls?" Drag grinned, raising an eyebrow at his younger cousin.

"Totally hot!" Bryce exclaimed.

"See? I'm not the only one." Drag still wore his grin.

"Yeah, yeah. I see." Zion rolled his eyes again.

"And that Rinoa chick! Wow! Holy crap! I wish there were more girls like her in Esthar! Dang!"

"Hey! What is it with you two? We're trying to hook Squall and Rinoa up. Back off! They're the ones meant to be together!" Zion jumped to his feet in hysteria.

"Wait! I thought you wanted me to help sabotage this relationship?" Bryce looked confused, even more than normal.

Rinoa heard Squall's teeth grinding in her ear, and she began to feel a little anger, too. If she wanted to sabotage something that had to do with her, then she'd do it herself. She certainly didn't need anyone to help her do that.

"Yeah, yeah. We have to wait for the perfect opportunity, though." Drag answered him, yawning. "Man, I'm starving. I'm going upstairs and see if there's anything here to eat. You guys want anything?" He stood and stretched. Bryce shook his head and pointed to the several bags of chips, but Drag took no notice of him.

"I'll come with you, but I'm not in the mood to let anyone fix my food." Zion stated almost snobbishly. Drag and Bryce had put in a bad mood.

"Sheesh! Who bit you in the ass this morning?" Drag asked, but Zion didn't answer. Instead, he headed upstairs without a word.

"Did you piss him off?" Bryce asked his cousin. The older guy shrugged and moved to the stairs.

"You coming, too?" Drag asked. He stood on the bottom stair.

"Yeah. I'm a little hungry." Bryce nodded and followed the other guy up the stairs. His stomach growled, and the two heard him laugh.

The door closed and Rinoa let out a deep breath. She was shocked, appalled, and more than anything else, pissed off to the point that she wanted to scream bloody murder.

"I'm going to kill them." Squall growled. "I'm going to fucking kill them." He stood out from the shadows and was heading straight up to the stairs when Rinoa grabbed his arm.

"Don't! Don't do that." She pulled him back to her level.

"I'm going to kill them. Especially Bryce." He continued to grind his teeth.

"No! No." She lowered her voice and pulled him closer. "I have a better idea. A much better idea." She grinned.

"…Which is?" He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Let's give them a taste of their won medicine. We now know what seem to be two different plans. Let's foil them both." She held back a laugh.

"You know, that sounds like a great idea." He returned the smile with a smirk. _And then we can give the hot, steamy sex a try._ He kept that thought to himself. She might not like that very much. Well, maybe not.

She saw that look in his eyes that told her he was thinking about something. What was he plotting? She was curious now. But she had another question to ask first.

"How are we going to get out of here without the others noticing?" She asked.

Squall thought for a second then looked behind Rinoa at the basement door. A smile crept to his face. "We sneak out." He pointed to the door.

"Whatever works." She shrugged as he pulled her to the door.

They crept up to the front of the house to his car, and Squall waited to turn on the lights until he was pulled out onto the road.

"I'm still pissed as hell at them." Squall muttered. He had to resist the urge to go 80 down the road. He had all this uncontrollable energy and nowhere to put it.

"Well, don't take it out on anyone." Rinoa turned to him and found her eyes looking down his face, neck, shoulders, chest, and arms, noticing how tense he was. She wanted to make him relax. She knew that she wouldn't be able to hide her feelings from him for too long. As much as she didn't want to admit, he was everything she wanted. He was protective, sweet (when he wanted to be), and hot. Did she mention hot? It was easy to get lost in his eyes, his arms, and just his entire body. It was just becoming over-whelming for her to just watch him and know that she couldn't do anything because she was too afraid.

"Hey, are you okay?" Squall glanced over at Rinoa to see her staring at him in a dazed way. She didn't look too happy.

She forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

He pulled into her driveway, and they both got out of the car and Squall walked her to the door. "So when are we going to get our own little plan rolling?" He asked, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets.

"When they try to get rid of us. Have you noticed that they've been doing that?"

"Yeah. I noticed. Let's give them a good opportunity to get their plan rolling." He shrugged.

"Good idea." She smiled at him and then looked at her house as the smile faded. "I'd better get inside."

"Okay. Let's give 'em, Hell, okay?" He smirked wickedly and she nodded.

"Sure." She walked up to the door as he returned to his car, but stopped to watch him pull out. She waved, but he didn't see her and drove off back to his house. She stood out there for a few minutes before turning the doorknob and going inside.

"Oh, boy." She whispered.

"What?" Her mother came into the hallway where Rinoa stood.

"Nothing." She sighed.

Julia walked up and wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders. "Aw! Is my little girl in love?" She hugged her tightly.

"I hope not, but I don't think I'm going to be that lucky." Rinoa sighed again.

"With whom, may I ask?" Julia pulled her away from the door and into the kitchen.

"I don't want to be in love. It causes too much trouble." Not answering her mother's question.

Julia watched her daughter fight a losing battle with herself, and she suddenly knew who the young man in question was, or at least she had a pretty good idea. She was excited, too. They would make the cutest little couple, and she knew that Raine would agree, too.

Julia hugged her daughter one last time before heading back into the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon, sweetie." She called.

"Okay." Rinoa said moments later coming into the doorway. "I'm going upstairs. Will you come get me when it's ready?" She asked.

"Of course." Julia smiled and Rinoa tried to return the warm gesture. She felt a little stressed and so lost interest. Instead, she went up to her room. She flopped down onto her bed and sighed again. This was definitely not how she planned for things to happen. She had thought she would never see him again, and yet… here he was. It was almost depressing.

Something cold and wet on her arm brought her back to earth. Rinoa turned to see Angelo's big eyes staring into her own.

"Hey, boy." She whispered, rubbing the dog's head gently. "What do you think I should do?"

But Angelo just titled his head and stuck out his pink tongue happily. Rinoa tried to smile as she scratched behind Angelo's ears.

"Should I follow my heart?" Rinoa asked. She didn't know why she was asking a dog for help, but it wasn't as if she had anyone else to help her or even talk to. No one would really understand her situation, and she needed someone who would.

Angelo barked happily and the action made Rinoa laugh. The dog had always been her best companion. Always.

"What would I do without you?" She asked, smiling truly this time.

Angelo barked again and laid his head in Rinoa's lap.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall had a really hard time keeping his anger at a safe level as he walked back into his house. Luckily, he came in the same time as his mom, so there weren't any suspicions, but he was so close to killing Drag, Zion, and Bryce that controlling his anger was not fun. They had pissed him off, really pissed him off.

"Hey, man! Where've you been?" Drag asked, stuffing a sandwich into his face.

"Out." Squall answered tersely. He went to the fridge and grabbed a soda. He said nothing else but opened the basement door and slammed it behind him.

"What's wrong with him?" Bryce asked his mom as she set some groceries on the counter.

"I don't know, honey." Raine answered, walking back out to the car to get the rest of the groceries since no one else was going to help. "He and I came in at the same time."

Drag nearly choked on his soda. "Was he here the whole time?"

"No! Mom said he just got here." Bryce replied. "He must have been out with Seifer or someone else." He shrugged.

"He couldn't have been with Seifer! Seifer was with Quistis and then he was with us!" Zion exclaimed, putting down Bryce's theory.

"I said or someone else!" Bryce yelled back.

"Well, who then? Everyone was with us, you idiot!" Drag raised his voice, glaring at Bryce.

"I don't know! I don't know anything!" Bryce threw his hands up in defeat.

"Well, that's for sure." Drag spat back.

"Why is everyone so mean to me all the time?" Bryce demanded.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because you ask stupid questions like that." Drag replied.

"Hey!" Raine yelled as Bryce jumped at his cousin. "If you're not going to help me do anything, then get out of my kitchen! I don't want World War III erupting while I'm trying to fix dinner. Now get OUT!" She exploded, sending all three guys out. "And Bryce, learn some table manners." She groaned, cleaning up the mess made by her youngest son. Sometimes she thought he was worse than Laguna.

"Is it just me, or is everyone in a bad mood?" Bryce asked, heading upstairs to his room.

"I wonder why? You're here." Drag glared at him, going up the stairs faster to his own room.

"Is it completely necessary for everyone to always be so mean to me?" Bryce wondered aloud, but no one answered him. He groaned and walked into his room.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall slammed his bedroom door and locked it. He punched the wall in anger and then sat on the bed. He did not need anyone to try and help him get together with Rinoa. He had his own way of doing things, and he didn't need anyone interfering. All they would do would get in his way.

"Stay out of my life!" He growled to no one in particular. He didn't receive an answer and didn't expect one. "I can do this all on my own!" His hand stung from where he had punched the wall. He had never been very good at holding back his anger. That was essentially one of his flaws. He lost his temper too much, but it wasn't his fault he had a short fuse. It was something he inherited from his mother. Sometimes he was glad he was more like his mother than his father. His dad could be such an idiot sometimes.

He lay down and stared up at the ceiling, counting the lines. He was surprised at his own behavior. He was in such a bad mood that it wasn't funny. He just wanted to beat the crap out of something, _anything_. He had to have some way to release his anger before he did something incredibly stupid.

It wasn't that he was totally pissed at Drag and Zion (he was) but he was even madder at himself for the way he'd been acting. Instead of bringing Rinoa closer to him, he was pushing her even farther away. He wanted her so badly that it was slowly killing him. It was like she was just out of reach. Every time he got close to touching her, something would happen to increase the distance between them again. Did things always have to be difficult? And now with the rest of his friends butting in, that would push her almost completely away from where he wanted her. They weren't making this any better; they were making it even worse! Why couldn't anyone understand that he didn't need their help? He was strong; he was determined and able to handle it all on his own. He didn't need someone there to hold his hand for him. That had never happened in the past, so why should it start now? What was the point?

"Arggh!" he yelled and threw his pillow across the room. He felt a little better but no much. He still had a lot of anger to release. He rolled over and rested his chin on his hands, now staring at his headboard. There was nothing particularly interesting about the headboard, but at any rate, he continued to stare at it.

He was frustrated, too. Frustrated by the fact that there was something out there that he really wanted, and yet, he wasn't making a single move to go get it. Since when had he waited on the sidelines and watched the other team win the game? Never. He always went after what he wanted. And he usually always got it, too.

So why should he be denied this time? He knew what he wanted, but he wasn't sure how to get it. That's one reason why he wanted everyone to butt out so he could figure out a way to reach his goal.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with everyone getting in the way?" He asked aloud. Of course, no one answered him. And yet, this time, part of him had expected one. Why? He was unsure.

At the current moment he was pretty much unsure of just about everything.

Then it hit him.

"Remove them!" He smirked wickedly.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The next morning at school, Squall and Rinoa met at his locker.

"You know, this looks even more suspicious than everyone else huddling together." Rinoa muttered quietly, hugging her books to her chest and feeling her cheeks redden as people walked by, glancing at them both.

"And does it look like I care? As far as I'm concerned, they can all kiss my ass." Squall replied, slamming his locker shut with more force than was needed. He leaned against the locker and looked down at Rinoa, scowling. "This will give Quistis and the rest of her little demonian a little hope that they're doing something right, which means they'll continue with their little plan, so we can figure it out. And once we have that figured out, we can foil it." He pushed himself off the locker and started walking to her second block, motioning his head for her to follow, which Rinoa did, reluctantly.

"Um, not to put a flaw in your brilliant plan, but if we give them hope, then won't they stop, thinking that they've succeeded? Shouldn't we just act like we still hate each other?" Rinoa walked to his side, getting into the same pace with him, trying to match his strides.

"No and no." He glanced at her briefly before heading up the stairs to the second floor. "If we act like we hate each other, then they might give up, but if we give them a false hope, then they'll keep going."

"Are you sure that logic isn't a little backwards?" Rinoa shivered and felt she move a few steps closer to him. He looked at her again, almost as if he were agitated.

"Positive. My logic is never backwards." Squall stated in his all-knowing way.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Well, let me inform you a little something. Quistis is obviously the mastermind in this operation, and if you know Quistis as well as I do, then you'll know that she doesn't give up on anything. She keeps going until she's satisfied. If we act like we're starting to like each other, then we'll just be giving her the satisfaction that she wants. Which means, she'll stop, thinking she's succeeded." Rinoa told him. She watched as a frown crept to his lips. She had to fight with herself to resist the urge to exclaim that she's right and he's wrong and that he should just listen to her.

"You really think so?" He asked seriously stopping in front of Professor Mimid's classroom, which just happened to be Rinoa's second block.

"Sorry." She blushed.

"Okay, then." And he shoved her into the classroom.

"Hey!" Rinoa yelled, falling into someone. She heard him laugh, and after apologizing to the person he pushed her into, she looked out the door to find him gone. "Asshole." She muttered quietly and decided that she would get him back later.

Instead, she walked to her desk in the back and found Quistis, Selphie, and Seifer staring at her questionably. She blushed again and set her stuff down. "What?" She asked, not making eye contact with any of them.

"What was that all about?" Quistis demanded. Her eyes darted to the door and then back to Rinoa.

"Nothing. I just forgot how to walk this morning." Rinoa spat bitterly. She grabbed her homework out of her binder and took it to the instructor's desk. She tried to ignore their questioning glances. She made a mental note to try and control her temper before she lashed out.

Quistis narrowed her eyes at Rinoa and searched her face, knowing that she was lying. Rinoa, who was little Miss-Perfect-of-Balamb, would _not_ wake up and forget how to walk. In fact, unless they had a severe case of short-term memory loss worse than Dory the fish, no one could just wake up one morning and forget how to walk! She looked at Seifer and whispered, "She's hiding something."

"No dip, Sherlock. Did you come up with that conclusion on your own or did little Watson help you?" Seifer snapped, going back to his desk. She glared at him and followed him.

"I'm serious! She's hiding something!" Quistis struggled to keep her voice down.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. For five minutes, can you shut up with this stupid idea to put them together? For five minutes maybe!" Seifer demanded. "And shouldn't you be getting to class anyway?"

She rolled her eyes and headed out the door. Seifer sighed once and she was gone. Sometimes she drove him crazy. Maybe he should get her to date Drag. That would definitely keep her off him, even though there were times when he didn't mind. He had no idea what he wanted. Surprise, surprise. At least he wasn't the only one. Squall seemed to be having problems of his own.

Professor Mimid walked in, and the class began, giving Seifer no time to think about his problems, Squall's problems, or anybody's problems for that matter. That was the good thing about wrinkly, old Professor Mimid. He could brainwash you so much for 90 minutes that you forgot about everything except how much you didn't want to be in that room.

Today, however, wasn't all that bad. It was actually amusing. Professor Mimid had a very bad head cold and his voice squeaked and cracked, he coughed every five minutes and sneezed 50 times every second. And the students in the front got a first-hand view of it all. Ugh!

Even with all the excitement, Rinoa didn't pay any attention to Professor Mimid. She was lost in her thoughts, trapped by her problem that she had created. All she could think about was Squall. He filled her mind, and she didn't understand why. Was this a sign that she did like him more than she was willing to admit? Or was she just paranoid like every other time when this subject came up? That was probably it, she finally concluded. She had always had a habit of drawing things out more than they needed to be. Old habits die-hard.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ah, lunchtime! The favorite part of the school day (besides the dismissal bell) when students can get together with their friends and talk about what has happened during the day.

Rinoa, Selphie, and Quistis walked to the lunchroom together for the first time in several days. Pre-Cal had been hell and that had left all three girls in terrible moods thanks to Professor Fitzgerald. It wasn't even the middle of November yet and the old cow was already giving them Winter Break assignments! And they had 5 thousand parts to them! Wasn't life juts so much fun when you were stuck with Professor Fitzgerald.

The guys had already gotten to the lunch table with their trays when the three of them got there. Zell and Zion were once again trying to eat each other out, and each time it always ended in a tie. No matter how many times they did it, it was always a tie. Irvine and Drag were having a very strong conversation, probably about girls, as that was the main topic between the two studs. And then Squall and Seifer were also engaged in a conversation, and judging by the look on Seifer's face, it seemed to be more series than the other two conversations.

Rinoa broke away from the group and snuck up behind Squall as he was standing. As revenge from earlier that morning, she shoved him. He fell forward, completely losing his balance and had to catch himself before he fell into his food. And he most definitely wouldn't wear teriyaki bites very well. Seifer saw a smirk creep up to his face as he turned to Rinoa, who stood behind him confidently.

"Can I help you?" He demanded.

She smiled, dropping her stuff in a chair and then heading to the lunch line. As she walked past him, he heard her say, "That was payback." And he had to laugh, having forgotten about earlier that morning. He applauded her for her bravery. She had more of a backbone than he gave her credit for.

"That was nice, Heartilly!" he called after her, drawing in more attention than he actually cared for. "That was real nice!"

"What did she do that for?" Selphie asked, sitting down across from him with her lunch.

"I shoved her this morning, and I suppose that was revenge." He replied.

"So that's what that was all about. She said she had forgotten how to walk." Seifer grinned at Squall's face.

"Yeah, it was pretty funny because she ran right into Deryl. You know him, right? He's the jock." Selphie pointed to Deryl Johns at the jock table. Squall nodded. "She was so embarrassed! Her cheeks were so red!"

Squall smirked again and looked at Rinoa as she came back with her food.

"Hey, Heartilly, walk much?" Squall asked as she took her seat.

"Yeah, why?" Rinoa looked at him questionably.

"Just wondering. I was told that this morning you forgot how to walk." He sneered.

Rinoa's cheeks flushed and she glared at. "Well, that's only because someone had been rude this morning and shoved me into my classroom after I was just trying to help!" Rinoa exclaimed hotly, declaring him the bad guy in this one.

"You were not trying to help!" he fired back, fighting the grin he now wore. "You kept shooting down my ideas!"

"What ideas! You had one! And it was doomed to failure from the start! So don't even go there!" She retorted, determined to win this little spat.

The rest of their friends just sat there and watched as the two went at it, finding the whole situation rather interesting, not to mention comical.

"What do you mean it was doomed to failure from the start? My plans are never doomed to failure! You just didn't understand!" he threw back at her.

"Oh, I understood perfectly! I understood how it was never going to work!" Rinoa retaliated.

"And here we are, ladies and gentlemen, at the final match of the season! It's mono versus womono! And the score right now is womono 3, mono 2! Can our defending champion take the title or will he lose to a girl?" Seifer grabbed his fork and began talking in his "famous" announcer's voice.

"Shut up!" Rinoa and Squall exclaimed together.

"Ouch!" Drag, Zion, and Zell yelled.

"And I don't know what dream world you're living in, but you're plans are not perfect! In fact, non of them are!" Rinoa went back to putting down Squall.

"Double point for Heartilly!" Seifer exclaimed.

"Oh? And what about yours? They never seem to work either! I seem to remember one of your little 'plans' that ended up with us having flower duty for an entire summer!" Squall used in defense. He crossed his arms over his chest, wearing his best cocky, "beat that" smirk.

"Oh, no! Don't _even_ blame that on me because you were the one who didn't listen to me and went after that frog in Mrs. Potson's garden!" Rinoa kindly reminded him.

"Yeah, after you had chased in there! I had told you not to let it get out of the creek, and someone had to go in there and get it!"

"And Leonhart takes the lead!" Seifer put in quickly, avoiding Rinoa's sudden death glare.

"But you were the one who pushed me into the creek, scaring it out! I am not the one at fault here!"

"Think again, Heartilly! You were the one who always got us in trouble! You and your brilliant plans!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, my plans were brilliant until you got a hold of them and changed everything!" Rinoa pointed her fork at him menacingly.

"I did nothing to change them except maybe to make them better!"

"NO! You always made them worse! You always had to have things your way! You seemed to think that with you in charge, everything went perfectly! Well, I've got a news flash for ya buddy: they all crashed and burned!"

"And that was the final point! Heartilly- 9 million, Leonhart- 7!" Seifer said sadly.

"You were the one who made a lousy partner in crime." Squall was not going to let her win.

"Only because I was stuck with you! You're no mastermind yourself!" Rinoa glared at him. They weren't really fighting, but they were enjoying watching how their friends reacted.

"What are you talking about? I AM the mastermind! And you were talking about my dream world?" Squall laughed at Rinoa, who wasn't quite as amused.

"Yes, you do live in a dream world!" Rinoa sneered. "Tell me, have you ever met reality?"

"And now we're at Round 2!" Seifer exclaimed. Squall glared at him this time.

"Yes, I have! And it's boring because you're there!" He flung a piece of roll at her. "Have you ever not taken anything seriously? Tell me, if someone asked you to jump off a bridge, would you?"

"And Leonhart takes an early lead!" Seifer smiled. He and Squall exchanged a high-five.

"There is a difference between taking something seriously and taking something logically. Jumping off a bridge would not be logical!" Rinoa flung the piece back.

"Oh, what a shame. I was hoping you would actually do it."

"Another point for Leonhart!" Seifer and Drag both exclaimed.

"That's not a point! That should be a technical foul for being mean!" Rinoa declared, sending Squall a nasty look.

"Hey, anything goes, sweet cheeks." Drag shrugged, smiling at her.

"Ugh! Guys are pigs! Especially ones from Esthar!" Rinoa narrowed her eyes at Squall in particular.

"Now that is a technical foul!" Seifer shook his head, disappointed.

"No, no, no! You said anything goes!" Rinoa countered.

"Yes. Anything but that." Squall pointed out.

"You stay out of this!" Rinoa snapped at him. He jumped back in shock.

"What'd I do?" Squall asked his buddies who shrugged. " I was just kindly informing her that she can't insult a man's hometown."

"Esther's not even your hometown!" Rinoa exclaimed. Selphie giggled at her side uncontrollably.

"That, my dear, is beside the point." He raised his eyebrows several times.

"You," she said standing "are a dog." She left the table to throw away her trash.

"Ruff-ruff!" Squall called after her. "Throw me a bone!"

_You have to beg for it first._ Rinoa thought with an evil smile. As she same back to the table, the bell rang. For the first time in a long while, lunch went better and wasn't an all out war. Yes, that was considered better.

"So where's my bone?" Squall whispered in her ear as they were leaving the Cafeteria for their final block.

"You have to earn it." She smiled, heading into AP Art.

"And how much work will that take?" He asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her back to him.

"Let's just see how well you handle sabotaging their plans, okay?" Rinoa tried to pull away, but it was easier said than done.

"And you know I love to destroy things." He whispered.

"Why am I scared?" She finally managed to get away and took a step back.

"You should be." He moved away but stopped. "Hey, meet me outside Joe's when you get there, okay?"

"Okay." She shoved him again and then walked into the room, throwing him a smile over her shoulder.

"Hey! I only pushed you once!" He called but she made no notice of hearing him. "What are doing to me?" He sighed. It sounded like he was already regretting his feelings and her reactions, but there was more than meets the eye.

* * *

A/N: There ya go! Another long one. I love this chapter just for the soul reason that the argument is so funny. My friend Beccy told me she read it during reading block and was laughing more than she should have. I think it's her favorite, too. I love it! Um, I tried to work on their personalities, but I needed them out of character for the lunch scene. Sorry! R&R. I need to know what you think! Thanks and Later Days!


	11. All Out War

Well, hey! It's me again! Did you miss me? You better have! 'Cuz I missed you guys!

Disclaimer: Please see previous ten chapters for disclaimer 'cuz I'm sick of repeating myself on something that you guys already know.

**_Life Less Ordinary_******

****

**_Chapter Eleven _**

****

**_"All Out War" _**

****

After the final bell had rung, Rinoa headed out to the parking lot, eager to get out of this place. She was beginning to get that relieved feeling that she only had a few more months to go before she was finally done with high school. Yes, she was going to miss everyone and everything, but man, high school was really getting old!

As she approached and caught sight of her car, she stopped.

"What the…?" she whispered in confusion. Someone was sitting on the hood of her car! Now who would be so stupid? "Oh, that ass!" She suddenly realized who would be so stupid. Squall, who else?

"What are you doing!" Rinoa demanded, stopping in front of him. He actually looked rather bored.

"I'm waiting for you, what's it look like I'm doing?" His good mood was almost shot. The idiots in his free block had pissed him off.

"Well, it looks like you're sitting on the hood of my car acting like an idiot." She smirked, walking around to throw her stuff in the car.

"Very good!" he slid off and applauded her sarcastically. "You're not as dumb as you look!"

"Oh, shut it! I don't need you to be mean to me all the time! I get enough of that already!" she laughed.

"Then you should be used to it by now!" Squall smiled and leaned against the car.

"Just shut it!" she repeated.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Oh! What's this?" Quistis wondered to Selphie as the two girls approached the parking lot. They had caught sight of Rinoa and Squall, together…alone. "Hmmm, I wonder…" she smiled.

"It's probably nothing." Selphie shrugged.

"Good gawd! Are they going in for round 3 now?" Seifer exclaimed suddenly appearing at Quistis' side with Drag and Zion.

"Didn't they get enough of that at lunch? Man!" Zion laughed.

"Oi!" Seifer yelled to Rinoa and Squall from across he parking lot.

"What?" Squall yelled back, aggravated hat he had been interrupted…_again._ Why couldn't they just give him five minutes? He could get what he needed to be done in five minutes! Grr! Rinoa looked at him and laughed; he rolled his eyes.

"Are you two at it again?" Seifer demanded once he had gotten closer so he didn't have to yell.

"No." Squall said at the same time as Rinoa said, "Yes." They looked at each other and glared.

"Okay, so which is it?" Quistis dropped her book bag and slouched against Rinoa's car in exhaustion.

"Yes. He was soliciting on my car, and so I was chewing him out for it." She glared at him again. He shrugged and scowled at her in return.

"Hey, there was no sign that told me I couldn't." he shoved her a few steps. "And that was payback."

"Okay…so are we going to stand here all day or are we going to get out of here? I've done my time today, and I'd like to leave." Drag butted in. He was done for he day and didn't want to stay any longer.

"Yeah, yeah. I've just got to wait for my idiot brother." Squall groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, just leave him. He can ride the bus." Drag walked around Squall's car and opened the trunk to get rid of his stuff.

"Uh! That's mean!" Selphie exclaimed.

"Yes, but fair." Drag smiled. Selphie shrugged and muttered a "whatever."

"No can do, anyway." Squall said sadly. He actually liked that idea. "Mom would kick my ass." Rinoa coughed and looked away as Squall glared at her for the 3rd time.

"Well, it's nice to know that I'm so loved, oh brother of mine." Bryce finally came over, snapping at his brother, which was immediately noted as a bad mistake.

Squall's temper flared," You're damned lucky that I don't make you walk home, you little ass wipe." He growled. Bryce flinched but ignored his brother otherwise and threw his stuff into Squall's car.

Squall made an advance at Bryce like he was going to kill him, but Drag and Seifer grabbed him back. "Oh, I'll kill him!" He tried to pull away, but Seifer and Drag had a good hold on him, which was certainly more difficult than it sounded.

"Don't!" Drag whispered harshly, having to grip Squall harder than he wanted to. If he needed to, he would have to cause some serious hurt and agony.

"Seriously," Seifer agreed, also having difficulties with the situation.

"I just want to rip his head off!" squall lunged at him, and Zion had to jump in and help keep Squall from attacking his brother.

"Well, if you're going to kill me, why don't you go ahead and do it?" Bryce asked, being uncharacteristically calm, considering Squall was trying to kill him.

"Will you quit trying to antagonize him?" Seifer yelled.

"Why should I? He's always being mean to me. He never has a nice thing to say to me. It's all criticsm and constant picking! And I'm sick of always being second best to him! It's not fair!" Bryce complained.

"Well, maybe if you grew up, I wouldn't constantly be on your case! You never act your age!" Squall yelled. Drag jerked back on Squall's arm. He didn't care anymore if he _accidentally_ hurt him.

"Maybe I don't wan to act my age! It's more fun than being Mr. Serious all the time like you!" Bryce yelled back being braver than he usually was. By his point, he'd had enough.

"Why don't you take notes!" Squall barked.

"When will you get it? When will anyone get it? I DON"T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!" Bryce backed away.

"I don't expect you to! No one does!"

"Yeah, right! You didn't hear what mom said." Bryce lowered his voice.

"What did she say?" Squall asked. His body suddenly relaxed, and he stopped yelling. Seifer, Rinoa, and Drag were able to calm down for the time being.

"She said why couldn't I be more like you. Why did I always have to cause her so much trouble? She just went on and one about how you and Elle were both such perfect children, and I was the reject. It really hurt." Bryce looked away from everyone, hiding his shame.

"_What?_" Squall stared at his brother, slack-jawed.

"Yeah. I don't think she actually meant to hurt my feelings, but it worked. I don't know, though. I know I'm not perfect, but…" Bryce now wore a frown and unlike Squall, he was able to put his feelings out in the open.

"I don't believe that!" Squall exclaimed quietly. "I've done far worse than you!" He shook his head in confusion.

"I know, but you never got caught. I did. I always got caught. Like the fighting thing. How many times have you gotten into fights, and mom never even heard of them?" Bryce looked at his brother seriously for the first time. He showed maturity there, standing in front of him.

Squall shook his head, unable to say anything that might help his brother. He was lost for words. This was the first time that he and Bryce had actually said something to one another without heads rolling or voices louder than they should be.

"I've tried to be perfect like you and Elle, but I just can't do it. It's not me. I've got to be me because there's no way I can be someone else. I've got to be able to find myself in my own way. I can't have someone else do it for me, you know?" Bryce shrugged.

"Why didn't you say something before? Why have you taken all this crap from everyone?" Squall asked him. He wasn't trying to lecture Bryce anymore.

"I don't know. I've always wanted to say something. I always waned to speak out, but I felt like even if I did, no one would hear me. I don't know." He shrugged again and walked around the car and got in, evident that he wanted to be left alone.

"I never knew." Squall whispered. He felt bad now. He'd always given his brother a hard time and never knew that it had such an effect on him.

"Maybe he just needs to get laid." Drag suggested. He probably could've come up with something better had he taken this seriously, but obviously, he didn't.

"Will you shut up!" Squall exclaimed. "He needs more than to get laid! He needs everyone to get off his back!" He watched his brother sitting in the back seat, arms over his chest, and head cast down miserable.

"Well, you're one to talk!" Rinoa interjected. Squall turned to her, and she expected him to be mad. He wasn't.

"yeah, I know." Squall whispered.

"Well, hey. We've got to make it up to him!" Zion put in. he was probably the closest to Bryce than the other two.

"We should, but I think we should let him do what he wants for a while. Cut him some slack. He's right. He needs to find himself on his own." Squall headed to the car and motioned for his cousins to come. He felt so bad, now knowing how his brother was bruised. He'd put up with that crap for a long time without saying a word to anyone. It was no wonder that he was ready to explode.

"We'll meet you guys at Joe's later." Squall said as he got into the car. His body language had changed drastically. He had now withdrawn himself, blaming himself for par of Bryce's pain.

"Later." Seifer waved and went to his own car.

"I love how everyone went from a great mood to a sucky one." Selphie complained to Rinoa and Quistis as everyone left.

"I know, right?" Rinoa watched Squall's car pull out of the parking lot.

"I feel bad for Bryce now." Quistis frowned. "He's actually pretty cute!"

"Don't tell me you're going after Squall's little brother now!" Rinoa exclaimed in shock.

"That is not what I said!" Quistis snapped. "I just said I felt bad for him. If I was him, I wouldn't take any crap from anyone." She said confidently.

"You don't anyway, so what's the point?" Rinoa asked. She stepped up to her car and looked over the hood. At least he didn't leave a mark.

"Seriously!" Selphie giggled. Quistis forced a smile onto her face, but it was obvious that she wasn't amused.

"You know, I'm just going to stop being nice! Or better yet, I'm just going to stop talking!" Quistis put her hands to her hips.

"Finally!" Rinoa and Selphie exclaimed, laughing.

"Ugh! Why do I even hang out with you guys?" Quistis asked, disgusting.

"Well, that didn't last long!" Selphie giggled again to Rinoa.

"I know!" She smiled to her friend. "And it's because you love us!" Rinoa got into her car. She waved and pulled out.

"Yeah! 'Love' being the operative word!" Quistis yelled after her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa arrived at Joe's a little later than she had actually planned. She had gone home after school and done some things for her mother, and it was five before she even left the house."

"What took you so long?" A voice asked her when she reached the door. She looked around to find Squall leaning against the building.

"Well, sorry. You just told me to meet you here. You said nothing about a time." Rinoa replied, joining him against the wall.

"I meant after school. I had assumed that you knew what time." He smirked at her.

"Don't assume. You'll make an ass of you and me." She said curtly.

"No kidding?" He looked at her, rolling his eyes.

"Are you picking on me?" Rinoa demanded, glaring at him.

"Of course not."

"What did you want anyway?" She asked, shivering slightly and changing the subject before it got ugly.

_You._ "They've been in there plotting. I've been out here waiting on you for the past hour, and every time I looked in there, they were huddled together in a tight circle. They've got a plan." Squall told her.

"Really? I thought they were just discussing football strategies." Rinoa rolled her eyes and he shoved her. "Hey! What was that for?"

"For not taking me seriously."

At this, Rinoa went into a full blown-out laughter. How could anyone take him seriously? Honestly. It just wasn't possible. She was laughing so hard that tears were coming to her eyes, and she looked at him to find him clearly not amused.

"I'm sorry, you were being serious?" She wiped the tears away and tried to hold back her laughter.

"Yeah!" He nodded. "Anyway, are you going to help me or not?"

"Do I have a choice?"

He shook his head and pushed himself off the wall. "Since when have I ever given you a choice anyway?" He demanded, fighting off a grin. He walked to the door and stopped.

"So what is your plan?" Rinoa asked, joining his side.

"Haven't gotten one yet." He shrugged and walked in, leaving her behind to roll her eyes and then follow.

"So, when are you going to come up with a brilliant plan?" Rinoa asked him.

"I knew you thought my plans were always brilliant." He hid a smirk.

"Sarcasm is a foreign language to you, isn't it?" She didn't get an answer from him as the two came upon their friends and found them all surprisingly silent. Everyone looked like statues, frozen in time in the same position forever.

"Okay, who died?" Rinoa asked, looking to each of them.

No one answered her or made any indication that she had even spoken. They just sat there, never moving.

"What gives?" Rinoa whispered to Squall who was searching them all down with a heated glare.

"Plotting." He narrowed his gaze on his brother. Bryce was looking the most suspicious. He wore a fighting smile, tried to look relaxed but was too fidgety.

"Plotting? Who said anything about plotting?" Quistis asked innocently. She sat on a couch with her hands resting neatly in her lap and her upper body in an upright position.

"Yeah, we're just sitting here like respectable adults." Seifer added. He was next to Quistis, eyes focused ahead of him on absolutely nothing.

"Every time I hear them say that, I can't help but laugh." Joe had appeared between Squall and Rinoa, watching the group as well.

"Joe, what is going on?" Rinoa asked the elderly man, hoping he knew more than she did.

Joe shrugged with a smile and a wink. "I have no idea. I haven't really been paying much attention to them. Although I did hear something about relation ships from Esthar and Galbadia combining while the stars danced under the winter mistletoe." With that Joe walked away but not before stopping to add, "But watch for the little storm to bother and crash the ships."

Squall stared at Joe completely dumb-founded, having no idea what he had said or the point, but Rinoa's face lit up and her mind caught the hidden message. She needed a piece of paper and pen fast.

"What the…?" Drag stood and looked at Joe with a confused expression.

"I have no idea." Squall shrugged and then slumped onto a couch.

"That man is the most random guy I have ever met. Is he senile? I mean, really!" Bryce exclaimed. He watched Joe go back behind the counter and return to his previous business.

"He does that all the time. You learn to get used to it." Quistis replied. She relaxed and settled against the couch more comfortable. Rinoa noticed the tension had somewhat eased thanks to Joe, and she was curious if anyone else got what he had been trying to say. Obviously, Squall hadn't or he would have said something to her by now, unless he was being clever and keeping his mouth shut. No, he wasn't that smart. Brian capacity or not, he was still a guy.

"So what's everybody doing?" Squall asked. Everyone just looked at him strangely, trying to figure out what he was talking about. It finally dawned on them.

"Nothing. Just sitting here. Bored." Seifer replied. He sighed in obvious mock aggravation.

Silence filled the air, and everyone just kind of looked away, avoiding each other. Rinoa watched, waiting for someone to give it away and expose something, but they were all being extremely careful. She could wait, though. She had patience. Her eyes darted from one person to the next with no contact, but when she looked to Squall, she found that he was staring at her questionably.

_I think I know._ She mouthed to him. He looked to their friends briefly before making eye contact with her again. He raised an eyebrow, and she nodded. Now all she needed was a good excuse to get him to come with her, away from the rest of them without giving anything off or giving someone the wrong impression.

Quistis nudged Seifer and pointed carefully to Squall and Rinoa. She kept her hand out of their sight as she made the motion. Seifer nodded once and returned to his previous position. Either Quistis was right or they were putting on a good show. At any rate, something had to be going on here.

"You know what?" Selphie spoke suddenly, making everyone jump. "I'm really bored." She sighed and began tapping her feet to a familiar rhythm.

"That's nice." Zell shrugged. He yawned and rested his hands against the back of his head.

"Join the club, we've got jackets." Zion added. He made this sudden movement like he was going to get up, but he never did. He just sat where he was.

This was driving Rinoa crazy. She needed to get Squall alone and tell him Joe's hidden message. That must be part of their plan, and she was sure that there was more. There had to be. Quistis never kept things simple. They had to be complicated for her to make it successful. Well, everyone else thought it was complicated, and yet, she thought it was the simplest thing in the world. But what could be the rest of it She had no idea.

_"But watch for the little storm to bother…"_ She heard Joe's last words, playing through her mind. What little storm? _"…to bother…" _Bother? Bother? Oh! Brother! Squall's brother! Storm wreck! He was going to wreck whatever they were planning! But that didn't make any sense! Why would Quistis try to set up something and then have someone destroy it? Unless, of course, she didn't know! But, then, how did Joe know to tell her? The only possibility that Rinoa could think of was that Joe had overheard Drag, Zion, and Bryce talking before everyone else had come in. Did that mean he knew more? She made a mental note to ask him later.

Squall watched Rinoa's face intently. Her expressions continued to change as different thoughts processed through her mind. She was thinking about something, and thinking about it profusely. He looked back to everyone else, trying to decide whether or not he should just leave. It was getting pretty damn dull in here.

"No, seriously, you guys! I'm bored!" Selphie exclaimed. She jumped to her feet. "We should do something fun!"

"Like what?" Quistis asked, yawning.

"I don't care!" Selphie swayed in her spot. She was extremely restless.

"I'm pretty bored myself." Bryce said suddenly. Squall narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"You're always bored." Drag said to him.

"Yeah, well, someone should entertain me." Bryce threw back at him.

"Who would want to entertain you?" Drag demanded, playing this little game with Bryce, who didn't' seem to mind too much.

"I would!" Selphie interjected, giggling.

"Why?" Rinoa asked innocently.

"because I'm Haut!" Bryce exclaimed, standing and flexing his muscles weakly.

Rinoa busted out laughing much in the way she had outside with Squall. That was almost as funny, too. Bryce's jaw dropped in shock at her response.

"Is that supposed to mean I'm not?" Bryce demanded of her as Drag snorted.

"No, no, no! That's not what I meant! It was just how you said it, that's all." Rinoa lied.

"Uh-huh. Right." Bryce did something that proved he and Squall were brothers, if not related. He narrowed his eyes at Rinoa with that same dark, untrusting way that squall did all the time and only moments before. "Then answer this for me: In your opinion, who is the hottest guy here right now?"

Rinoa's face flushed, and she inwardly cursed. She knew he would make her answer him.

"Are you kidding?" she asked.

"Nope. I'm being totally serious." He grinned, enjoying seeing her on the spot, and he was interested to hear her answer.

Rinoa knew she couldn't answer that. They would never let her live it down, and it would give Quistis what she wanted. Her face continued to redden, and she looked away from them.

"ooh! Come on, Rinny!" Selphie encouraged this new game.

"Yeah, _Rinny_, ell us." Squall mocked her, saying her nickname with extreme sarcasm, making her glare at him.

"I don't…" Rinoa stated but never finished.

"Okay, then answer this: Who is hotter? Me or Squall?" Bryce asked, altering the question slightly.

Rinoa laughed bitterly. "Oh, that one is easy! Squall because I…don't…like…you." She smiled sweetly. Bryce's face fell. Literally.

_"Wha?"_ He asked.

"I'm pretty sure you heard me." Rinoa just continued to smile. Zion was dying of laughter, and Bryce looked like he was going to faint. Drag and Seifer were laughing, too, and Squall just sat there trying not to show any amusement.

"You don't like me? How did that happen? Everybody likes me!"

"Oh, that's funny!" Zion stated, with mock sarcasm, laughing even harder now. He was on the ground, laughing like a hyena.

"I know, right?" Drag joined him.

Bryce ignored them and continued to glare at Rinoa. "How could say something like that? I don't get it? I'm way hotter than Mr. Serious." He whined.

"Hey, you wanted an honest answer and that's what I gave to you." Rinoa shrugged.

"I didn't want honesty!" Bryce exclaimed, jumping up and flailing around like a crazed monkey.

"Well, ya should have said something!" Rinoa barked.

"No, I figured you would have gotten it! You were supposed to be on my side!" He exclaimed again.

"Why would I do that?" Rinoa asked genuinely.

"Because I'm hotter, nicer, more laid back, and I have more personality in my pinky finger than he does in his whole body!" Bryce stated dryly.

"He's dreaming." Seifer said, finally hiding his laughter. Drag and Zion agreed.

"Bryce, let me inform you, that you have been sadly misinformed. Whoever told you that was either drunk, high, or had no idea who you were. I'm sorry to bust your little happy bubble, but your brother is hotter, cooler, and all-around better guy than you could ever be. Get over it." Rinoa smiled and Bryce glared at her again. "No offense."

"None taken, but at least that answers my questions." He grinned and the turned to Seifer. "I told you she was crushing on him. There's your proof."

"Hey! I never said that!" Rinoa yelled, catching onto the game.

"Not in so many words, but you did say it!" Bryce countered. "You can't go back on your word, now can you?" He had her cornered now.

"But I never said that! You asked me who was hotter, and given the choices, I picked your brother! That does not mean I am madly in love with him!" she snapped.

"But you are!" Bryce pointed out.

"I never said that, and I am not!" she was definitely losing her temper.

"Then why are you blushing?" Bryce asked coyly, determined to get her.

"I am not blushing." But she, in fact, was. She looked to Squall for help, but he just sat there, his face blank without emotion, lost in thought.

"Yes, you are. You like him! You like my brother! Eww!" He began speaking in a singsong voice, repeating that over and over. He was jumping up and down, saying that over and over.

Rinoa's face went from pink blush to full-out red mad. She glared at Bryce, hoping that looks could kill. If he didn't shut up she'd be forced to lose her temper, which spelled out certain death for young Bryce.

"Rinoa loves Squall! Rinoa loves Squall! Rinoa loves Squall! Rinoa loves Squall! Rinoa loves-" he was dancing around, and poor Rinoa finally lost it. She jumped up and lunged at Bryce, throwing both of them to the ground. She had him pinned beneath her with her hands wrapped around his neck, and her face displaying her obvious rage.

Everyone jumped up in complete shock at what Rinoa had just done. None of them thought she had the guts to actually do something like that. For the first few seconds they all just stood there, unsure of what to do.

Squall was the first to react. As much as he would have liked to have her choke his brother, he had to make her stop. He grabbed her around the waist with one hand and held her wrists together with the other and pulled her off him. She thrashed, and Squall had to tighten his hold on her. He was regretting instantly, holding her tightly in attempts to restrain her.

Bryce laid on the floor and didn't move for several minutes. Everyone just kind of watched him closely to make sure he was still breathing. His face was red and his eyes displayed obvious fear. He swore she would have honestly choked him to death had his brother not pulled her off. Somehow, he hadn't expected her to react or actually do anything. He now knew better than to anger her.

"Bryce, are you okay?" Selphie asked him carefully. She leaned over him and looked into his face contently. He looked still in shock, but other than that he seemed fine.

"I think so." He finally sat up with Selphie's help and took the dare to look at Rinoa. She was glaring at him from Squall's lap. He was holding her there and trying to calm her down but with no luck. She was madder than Hell.

"Heh heh." He laughed nervously as her eyes narrowed down on him.

"I hope you know, this means war!" she growled. Squall was trying not to grin and still trying to hold her back.

Without thinking, Bryce laughed and said, "Bring it on!"

Rinoa's face flushed with anger again and she attempted to lunge at hum again, but Squall had a stronger hold on her than she had anticipated. He pulled her back against him roughly, knocking the wind out of her.

"You can't kill my brother!" he growled in her ear. Straining to hold her. "That's my job!"

"I don't care! Watch me!" she lunged again, almost breaking free and making Bryce jump and hide behind Selphie. Squall was even surprised at her strength and had to think of a new strategy to hold her down. He quickly released her wrists and then grabbed both of her arms and pinned them behind her against his lower abdomen.

"Aww, Squall! Let her kill him! I wan to see her draw blood!" Drag whined, mocking Bryce. He looked to his cousin then to his brother and shook his head.

"No, no, no! Don't let her hurt me! She's lethal with those nails!" he held his hands around his neck, remembering the awful pain she caused.

"Oh, come on! Let me rip his head off!" Rinoa growled wearing this god-awful smile and tried to free her hands but Squall wouldn't let her go.

"She's starting to act like you Squall!" Seifer laughed at the situation.

"No! My mom would kill me, and she's worse than you!" Squall pulled her back harder against him. She panted, losing her energy to try and get away. He whispered closely in her ear and she could literally feel the words forming on his lips. "Calm down. He's not worth it, and you can get back at him when we do our own sabotaging." Her breathing slowed back to normal, and she stopped resisting. He began to slowly release his death hold on her and rested one hand on the front of her waistband below her belly button and the other on her left thigh. She had her hands against him for now, relaxing her body and feeling he anger wash out of her.

"You're not going to kill me…are you?" Bryce asked quietly, looking back up to Rinoa.

"No I guess not, but sleep with one eye open." She warned him. Her mind was half working to begin with. She was so close to Squall's body that she could feel his heat and the warmth was putting her off guard and shutting down her brain.

"Believe me, in my house, you have to sleep with one eye open anyway or else you could wake up with one of your eyebrows shaved off." Bryce shuddered at the thought. Drag laughed and shot an interesting look at Zion, who crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from everyone. "Just ask Zion."

"I don't want to know." Quistis held back the laughter and pulled out a magazine from her book bag and indulged herself in that.

Everyone got silent and went to going whatever to keep themselves busy. Rinoa stared forward, desperately trying to keep her eyes open and her mind in working order. She could feel Squall's fingers slowly began to move in tiny circles on her thigh just as an unconscious movement. His exhaled breath was sweeping the back of her neck through her midnight black hair. She wasn't quite sure what to do. She wanted to lean back against him, but she also wanted to bolt out of there before she was forced to admit to herself that everything she was trying to so hard to deny was actually true.

She couldn't help but let her eyes close and her head tilt slightly to the side. Squall's warm breath moved to her exposed neck. He began to move his right hand slightly up her waist, slipping her thumb under the shirt, touching her tender skin there. He had to resist the urge to do anything with her, but it was beginning to become seriously difficult. He wanted her. As scary as that seemed, considering she had once been his best friend, he wanted her. He had to control himself. He couldn't ruin what he had worked so hard to reclaim.

Rinoa was lost completely within him. She was wrapped in his warmth, in his scent, and the feeling of his hands on her. She loved that feeling, but it wasn't enough. She needed that feeling intensifies, all over.

She sat up, suddenly, straight and rigid and out of breath. She felt his hands stop their movements and jumped up. She looked to him and then to everyone else, who didn't seem bothered by her sudden change in behavior. Only Squall was confused. He saw the fear on her face and didn't understand what was happening. She shook her head and then turned and fled for the door. She needed fresh air. She needed to calm down, needed to relax. She was sweating. Why was she sweating? It was hot, too hot. The heat was unbearable, and it was spreading throughout her whole body, burning her inside out.

She barely made it outside, panting gasping for air that wasn't coming. Her lungs were going to seriously explode. She couldn't breath, couldn't calm her nerves. She leaned against the building, sliding down until she felt the ground beneath her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"What the hell was that?" Squall asked. He searched the door with his steel-blue eyes, trying to find any indication that she was going to come back inside anytime soon.

"Yeah. That was weird. You think she's okay?" Selphie asked.

"I hope." Squall muttered. He really hoped that he hadn't done anything to make her do that so strangely. "I'm going to go check on her." He started to move but some one grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"I think you should leave her alone for a while. She looked stressed and scared. Let her figure out whatever it is on her own. You can't solve her problems for her." It was Seifer. He pulled him back and returned him back to his seat. Squall nodded and looked back to the door one last time.

"Okay."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

She laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling but seeing nothing. She tried to keep her mind blank of all things, but every time she drifted even slightly, she would immediately go back to thinking about the day's events. She hadn't expected anything like that to happen; it had just been like on giant surprise for her. It left her confused and even somewhat scared. What had happened to her? She couldn't breathe, couldn't think and was unbearably hot. It took her almost an hour, or what felt like an hour, to calm down and cool off. She had certainly hyper- ventilated.

But now, she was okay. Sort of. She was breathing correctly now, hours later. She was calm enough to think straight, but was almost afraid to dos o. She didn't want to drift to that freaky reality of earlier today. What would have happened if she hadn't gotten out of there? Or better yet, what would have happened if they had been alone? Would things have gone even further? She wasn't too crazy about that idea. In fact, it terrified her. She knew that part of her was not scared, but she wasn't ready to admit that the other part was right. It was time she actually did something for herself, but she had that fear factor that held her back. She was still afraid that she would throw herself into the open just to get hurt again. There was no protection this time, not there was any last time either. How did she know that he wouldn't betray her again? He had done it once before, what would stop him from doing it this time? She didn't want to think that way, but it was hard when she had already been bruised badly enough to be afraid of her own feelings. Maybe she needed to be left alone for a while. Maybe she just needed to have some time to herself to figure things out on her own. After all, this was her own private battle and no one could fight it for her. Her emotions were all over the place, bouncing off the walls and hitting her, confusing her even more than she already was. Her mind was a whirlwind, scrambling thoughts into completely gibberish

Rinoa thought her head might explode. She had wanted to just lay there, thinking about nothing, keeping her mind as blank as possible, but it never worked. As much as she struggled not to think about it, that turned out to be all she could think about. Her thoughts returned to that event earlier and every other time, she found herself relaxing at the thought of it all. She could paint a picture of him and of what they both wanted, or at least what she wanted.

She forced herself to sit up and open her eyes. She needed to stop. She needed to get herself straight and figure out what she needed to do.

She screamed.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Tossing and turning all night long, she went through nightmare after nightmare, waking herself by her own screams each time. She wanted peace from her mind, but that didn't seem to be an option. There was no way she could do anything to ease her own suffering. She needed someone else's help. She couldn't do this all on her own.

She sat up, clutching her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth. Tears ran silently down her cheeks, making her life worse. She'd shed so many tears in the past that she could fill an ocean and probably then some. She used to cry everyday for freedom to breakaway when she was still a prisoner to her father. She never wanted to go back there ever again. She wanted to stay where she was, on her long healing process. Going back into the depths of her past would only create problems for her future. She didn't need that stress or pain again.

A soft knock on the door brought her back to her sense. Her mother entered her room and sat beside her on the bed. "Rinny, sweetie, are you okay?" she touched her forehead lightly, making Rinoa shiver.

"I…don't…know." Rinoa answered softly, unsurely. She had no idea if she was okay or not. It was hard to tell with all the ruckus in her head distracting her. She thought her body was at war with itself. Her mind arguing against her heart; her thoughts arguing against her actions, and everything else causing problems.

"I heard you scream. Did you have a bad dream?" Julia held her timid daughter closely, being her shelter from her fears like only a mother could be.

"More like a bad life." Rinoa whispered, responding to her mother's soft embrace. She felt like a tiny child who needed her mother to check for monsters under her bed.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I wish I could've helped more." Julia kissed the top of her head lightly.

"You did all you could, mom. Thank you." Tears swelled up in her eyes again.

"Believe me, honey, if I could turn back time, I would change everything. You certainly didn't deserve what your father did to you." Julia hugged her tighter.

"Thank you." Rinoa whispered.

"Now, can I help with what's bothering you?" Julia asked, releasing Rinoa.

Rinoa shook her head sadly. " I don't think so. I don't think even I can help myself this time." Rinoa sighed.

Julia frowned and ran her fingers affectionately through her soft hair. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I think this is something I need to do on my own. But I'm so confused."

"All right, but you know if you need me for anything, I'm here for you." She kissed her forehead and slid off the bed. "Now, get some sleep. And work yourself up over this. Good night, sweetie." She left the room and left Rinoa to her thoughts again.

"Good night." She whispered to the soft breeze caused by the door closing. Her attention went to the window where the moonlight poured in and swallowed her room. She wished life could be just as simple as that. She wished her life could be as simple as just being a moonbeam, with no purpose but to fill a dark room with night-lights.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I know. That kind of ended in a weird way, but I couldn't think of anything better than that. Lol. Actually it made more sense in my head. Most things do. Maybe I shouldn't put any of my thoughts to words. Ha! I hope you guys liked this chapter. It's one of my favs. R&R guys! Later Days!

Now where's my cookie?


	12. Making A Plan

Oh, look! Another update so soon! Wanna know why? It's because the previous chapter had to be split in two because it would have been about ten thousand words, and I decided that you guys did not deserve that kind of torture. Yes, you may proclaim your love for me now: _"We love you, Katelyn!"_ Okay. I feel good now.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Final Fantasy VIII, but I do own Bryce, Drag, Zion, and something else but I don't remember what it is, so it can't be that important. By the way, has anyone ever wondered why Drag's name is Drag? If you want to know, I'll tell you. If not, you may not know for a long, long time.

**_Life Less Ordinary_******

****

_Chapter Twelve _

_"Making A Plan" _

"So, have you come up with any brilliant plans yet, Sherlock?" Rinoa asked Squall, leaning against the lockers while he got his stuff together. It was Tuesday morning, and this week was not going by fast enough for anyone.

"No," he answered, not even looking at her. He'd been withdrawn all morning long and had said no more than two words at a time.

"Well, are you going to come up with one?" she demanded, noticing the sudden change and not liking it. What had gotten into him?

He shrugged, slamming his locker shut and walking past her. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance and followed him. Why had he suddenly become so cold?

"Well?" she fell into step beside him as they walked down the hall. She wasn't sure if she was asking him a question of "are you going to say something" or "have you come up with anything?" At this point, she'd take either answer.

But all he managed was a muttered "No." Which didn't really answer either question and just further annoyed her. She sighed and figured it was pointless to even try. Instead, she headed to the stairs to first block, not caring if he followed her or not.

He didn't follow her. In fact, he didn't even realize that she had left his side until a few minutes later when he looked beside him to find her gone. A frown tugged at his lips and he headed to class without a word to anyone.

He entered the class and immediately got to work, still speaking not a word. He found it difficult to concentrate and eventually just stopped what he was doing and drifted off to another, calmer place in the back of his mind.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Okay, it's November 13th, which means we have exactly 19 days to get this plan rolling." Quistis said, leafing through her daily planner. She had December 2nd marked clearly.

"That's almost three weeks! We have plenty of time! Why are we worrying about this now? What's the rush?" Drag asked. He reached across the table and grabbed the planner from her. He recounted the days and looked up to her.

"Okay, first of all, the Winter Formal is a huge deal here, and the dance committee starts decorating by the 15th of November. This dance is a major school tradition! And it just so happens that the person in charge of decorating is subject numero uno." Quistis smiled her trademark wicked little grin.

"Squall? Since when does Squall care about a dance?" Drag asked her, looking rather confused.

"Not Squall, you moron!" Quistis shrieked, grabbing her daily planner back and smacking him hard with it in absolute fury. Drag yelled back at her to stop and cringed with every blow she dealt.

"Yo!" Seifer yelled, impatiently. He grabbed Quistis and pushed her away from Drag, who looked up at Seifer like he was a god. "Do we really have time for this?"

"Thanks, man! I really owe ya one!" Drag sighed in relief and increased the distance between him and Quistis.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just shut up and listen to what she has to say, okay? The bell is going to ring any minute, so let's make this quick. I've got things to do." Seifer leaned back in his chair and glared at everyone. He was in a real bad mood.

Quistis studied Seifer for a moment or two before going back to everyone else.

"Okay, so we don't have much time." Quistis glared at Drag as he scoffed her comment. "We won't be seeing much of Rinoa from here on out, so Selphie and I have _volunteered_ to help keep an eye on her. While you guys will be watching Squall. Seifer, have you talked to him yet?" she turned to face Seifer who sat at her side, still sour.

"No. I'll get around to it." He snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, then, Drag, you and Zion need to watch him at the house. Can you manage that?" she, too, was losing her patience. Drag nodded with a smart remark, which she ignored. "And you also need to make sure that he is still oblivious to what we're doing. If he even finds out that we're trying to do something, he may get mad. I know Rinoa will, so we can't let either of them figure out what's going on. Got it?" she demanded of each of them. They nodded.

"Relax, Quistis. They're not going to find out, and when they become the hottest couple in the school, everyone will know that we were in charge of it. Don't you worry your pretty little head." Drag stood and patted Quistis on the head before leaving the Cafeteria to first block with Zion, Zell, and Selphie followed without a word. Only Seifer remained beside Quistis.

"What?" she asked when she found him staring at her. He shook his head, closing his eyes as he did so. She wasn't convinced. "No, seriously. What? Something's up?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." He sighed and shook his head. Standing, he ignored the urge to ask her what had been sitting in the front of his mind, nagging him. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. He just walked away from her, even though he didn't want to. He wanted to ask her, but for once, he was too shy. Instead, he continued forward out of he Cafeteria.

"That was weird." Quistis whispered as Seifer disappeared out of sight. "Oh, well." She shrugged and gathered her stuff to head to her class.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Yo." Seifer muttered, taking a seat next to Squall. The brunette raised his head, looked to Seifer with cloudy, bored eyes and then put his head back down. He said nothing nor made any other notion. Seifer frowned and grabbed his bell work, getting to work. He didn't try to force conversation with Squall. He knew the guy too well to be that stupid. Even though Squall would beg to differ, he knew Squall almost like the back of his hand. They had been "partners in crime" for much too long. They had too much in common, too, and Seifer knew Squall would be completely honest with him, no matter what.

Seifer's eyes lit up at this sudden realization. Squall would tell him anything, wouldn't he? A smile covered the blonde's face as he gently nudged Squall. The other guy raised his head in a matter of sheer annoyance, and he looked at Seifer with the same state of agitation.

"Squall, I need to ask you something, man." He whispered, keeping his voice as low as possible. People were coming into the classroom as the bell would ring any minute. Squall said nothing but continued to almost glare at Seifer, making the situation very uncomfortable for the other guy. "It's about Rinoa."

Squall raised a questioning eyebrow at his companion, who squirmed involuntarily. "What about her?" he matched Seifer's tone but with a little more irritation and what seemed to be warning that Seifer wary of continuing.

"Um, well, I was wondering: do you like her?" He struggled to get those last few words out, feeling so juvenile but somehow managed to succeed in the tiresome task.

At first, Squall said nothing. He didn't even change his facial expression but continued with that mixed look, staring at Seifer like he was a statue, forever frozen in time. His eyes, however, revealed the emotion that he was evidently trying to hide. They focused intently on nothing and all the while, searching it thoroughly. Without even speaking, Seifer knew the answer. It wasn't too hard to pick out.

"You do, don't you?" Seifer asked him. He smirked in a way that could have been described as almost evil.

"As a friend, yes. Nothing more." He tried to be sincere, and Seifer was shocked by his answer. His eyes told him differently than what had just come out of his mouth, so why did he lie to him? He was his best friend, and he had never lied to him before! That didn't make any sense, and it was beginning to annoy him.

Squall looked away briefly, breaking his concentration and determination on keeping his feelings concealed. Seifer saw the weakness and knew he meant more in his answer than he intended to reveal. But it didn't matter, he was still mad that he didn't tell him the truth.

Squall turned back to Seifer with a different look this time. His wall of confidence and denial were gone and replacing it was his own defeat. He knew he couldn't lie to Seifer. He was too close to him. And for whatever reason, he didn't even try to hide his shame. At this point, he didn't care.

Seifer saw him soften and knew immediately that his answer had not been the correct one. He smiled again at his buddy. "What's the real answer?" he asked. He just wanted to hear squall say what he knew he was trying to deny.

"I think you know." He didn't want to say it, he didn't want to admit his won defeat, although he already had.

"I wanna hear you say it, though." He smiled wickedly again, finding the torment highly amusing. There were reasons behind it, but he chose to remain silent on the subject, much like Squall was being with his feelings.

"Why? It's of no importance." He scowled, focusing his gaze in the desk.

"I know you better than that." He laughed and watched Squall, enjoying this. He knew, no matter what, he wouldn't reveal Squall's true feelings to anyone, including Quistis. He would not betray his best friend's trust like that.

"Then why do I have to say it?" Squall countered. He was going to protect himself no matter the consequences.

"Just give me the satisfaction of being right, will ya?" Seifer exclaimed. He looked around briefly as more people filtered into the classroom, the turned his attention back to Squall, who looked slightly irritated yet again.

"Since when have I ever given you the satisfaction of anything?" Squall demanded. Seifer returned the glare and showed an equal amount of irritation.

"Will it kill you to say it, I mean really!" Seifer groaned. All he wanted was a simple _"Yes, I like her." _ That was all he wanted!

_Why? So you can go back to Quistis and tell her I want to bang Heartilly? I don't think so, buddy._ He thought bitterly. He could feel his blood boiling beneath his skin, threatening to blow his top. He had to control himself, though. He couldn't blow yet. Revenge would take its course in his favor soon enough. After all, he had the upper hand on all of them, even Rinoa. The tricks he had up his sleeve would be his best yet.

Seifer opened his mouth to say something, but the bell rang, interrupting their conversation. Annoyed, Seifer was forced to hold off on this little dispute until later. Unfortunately, this mean Squall had won the battle, but then again, he usually always did. But the outcome of the war wasn't necessarily determined by the battles.

_I'll get you, Squall. Mark my words. You may have won the battle, but you are way in over your head in the war. I play dirty; don't forget that._

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

By lunchtime, it was raining, a cold, wet, nasty rain. The entire student body acted like the living dead, walking the halls in a groggy fashion. The rain smacked against the building with the help of the wind, threatening to break in and drown everyone.

Rinoa watched the rain all day, observing how it pummeled the ground and bounced back up against the concrete outside. She found the rain more interesting than any of her first three classes and opted to watch nature instead of her professors. In all reality, she really wasn't watching anything. There was too much on her mind for her to concentrate on schoolwork, and the rain gave her a perfect opportunity to escape from it all and get lost in her thoughts.

Her main thought, at the moment, was all the stuff that kept happening between her and Squall. She was so confused, so mixed up, just unsure of what she was supposed to be doing. How could this even be happening? He was the one person she never thought that she would see ever again, and yet, there he was, intruding on her life. She enjoyed his company, of course, but there was a part of her that still feared him. She didn't understand him, either. He was difficult to read, closed like a book that no amount of prying could open. He revealed only bits and pieces of himself and fooled everyone with a façade that he used to cover his thoughts and emotions. She wondered if he was even the same person she thought she knew. Was he hiding something or was he just trying to hide himself to protect himself?

She wanted to know. She wanted to know his secrets, to understand all of him. He wasn't too keen on revealing himself, though. He valued his privacy and kept a lot of things to himself. He had a shell that he was beginning to retreat back into, much to the annoyance of those who knew him well. He was driving her crazy because of his secrets. He was well hidden and it annoyed her.

"Miss Heartilly!" Professor Fitzgerald shrieked, slapping her meter stick across Rinoa's desk. "Would you mind gracing us with your presence and pay attention! I will not repeat myself so I suggest you get with the program!" Rinoa muttered her apologies, but she knew that there was no way she could pay attention. She hadn't all day, so how could she now? Her eyes locked onto the grumpy professor, but her mind was elsewhere again, on a subject that had nothing to do with Pre-Calculus. She wasn't even going to try to pay attention as it was completely hopeless, but that was why she had her two best friends in her class.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

At the lunch table, they all ate in complete silence, groggy and unwelcome. They were ignoring each other openly, almost suspiciously. Each were plotting something of their own that they kept to themselves. It was a conspiracy of different proportions.

Quistis tapped Seifer's leg beneath the table and slipped a note into his hand. He could guess its contents and slipped it into his pocket, hiding it from prying eyes.

Squall looked up and watched the minimal movement between Quistis and Seifer. The suspicions in his mind continued to grow, along with the need to know more of their plan. If only he had an informant, but that was impossible. Quistis would be able to smell a rat 100 miles away. He cursed himself inwardly. Until he knew more, he would have to guess what their next move would be, but that is where his even bigger problem laid waiting. He didn't know Quistis well enough to predict her movements. If it had been Seifer or Drag or Zion in charge of this wily operation, he would be able to pinpoint their next destination, but this was a new enemy, which required him to travel lightly over the minefields. So he had to develop a new strategy. He had to watch Quistis carefully over the next few days and watch the behaviors of his friends closely, as well. After all, he lived under the same roof as Drag and Zion, and he was sure that if he kept a watchful eye over them, he would learn something.

As Squall surveyed Quistis and Seifer, Rinoa watched him. She was still curious about his mysterious, enchanting ways. If she could see into his mind, she was sure that she would find ingenious ideas and pieces of him that no one else has seen. Her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her, but she didn't care. He was fascinating beyond any means, and she still had the overwhelming desire to understand him. But was that really possible? Could one human being so complex be understood by a simpler mind? She knew the answer to that but didn't care. Regardless of the odds, she was still going to try.

A smile curled up at the ends of her lips.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Oh! I'm so excited!" Selphie giggled happily, nearly skipping as she, Quistis, and Rinoa walked to the Auditorium for the Winter Formal Committee Meeting. "This year is going to be the total best ever!" she threw her arms out and spun around several times.

"Well, all I have to say is that it had better be an improvement over last year's Winter Formal. The seniors last year really screwed that one over. Oh my gosh!" Quistis scoffed. She was not in a good mood today, but actually, neither was Rinoa. She had been withdrawn nearly all day. Something had to be up with her. She was almost never like this.

"It will be better." Rinoa reassured them quietly.

"It better be. I'd hate to see the repeat of another disaster." Quistis glared almost menacingly at Rinoa, who didn't even seem to notice.

"Who's the teacher in charge this year?" Selphie asked.

"I don't know." Rinoa and Quistis both answered in the same drawled tone. Quistis shifted her glance briefly to Rinoa who stared forward in a trance-like state.

They walked in silence from then on to the Auditorium. Upon reaching their destination, they found the Auditorium occupied with several members of the senior class, all with interests in the success of the Winter Formal.

Rinoa, Selphie, and Quistis' jaws dropped when they saw he teacher who would supervise every move and decision concerning the dance. In all her evil glory, there stood professor Fitzgerald, looking over every individual with laser eyes.

"Oh, Hyne, please tell me I'm seeing things!" Quistis whispered frantically. She closed her eyes and then re-opened them to find the same picture still before her.

"Nope. The witch is overseeing the plans for the dance. Hyne help us all. This is going to be a long three weeks." Selphie sighed and began to trudge forward, and the girls took their seats among the other seniors.

'All right! Ladies and gentlemen quiet down! We have too much business to conduct for you all to be flapping your miserable jaws!" professor Fitzgerald barked at them all. Everyone immediately sat down and waited silently for her to continue. Without a doubt, Professor Fitzgerald was the most feared woman in all of Balamb High School. She smiled with wicked pleasure at their reaction and allowed the silence to linger just a while longer. "All right, ladies and gentlemen. Professor Zigsby, who normally is in charge of this activity will not be participating this year, and after the disaster of last year, I have decided that it is my duty to make sure everything is done correctly." She looked over the some thirty seniors who sat before her with her beady eyes that saw and knew all.

"Oh, please. Like she could make any type of improvement over last year." Quistis scoffed in a low voice to Rinoa and Selphie.

"Now I will introduce the young lady who shall be in charge of the decorating, the announcements, and the music entertainment." Professor Fitzgerald's voice was cold while trying to sound welcoming. The combined effect of the two made her sound even more evil than she already was. "Miss Heartilly, will you kindly come forward?"

Rinoa slowly rose and moved to the front of the Auditorium to stand next to the witchy woman. She smiled weakly at everyone and shivered despite herself.

"Miss Heartilly will be the second-in-command. If you have any questions, see her first. She will conduct the after school meetings that will begin Friday afternoon. Do not approach me until after you have spoken to Miss Heartilly." Everyone nodded in understanding at professor Fitzgerald's instructions. "You will be assigned a specific task, and I will expect this task to be completed at 100 percent, nothing less. Is that understood?" Again, unanimous nods from everyone. "Good. You may return to class." She dismissed them, and they exited the Auditorium faster than fleas escaping a wet dog.

As Rinoa began to walk away, Professor Fitzgerald grabbed her arm. "I would like you to remain behind, Miss Heartilly. We have much to discuss." Rinoa inwardly cringed and cursed herself for being Class President.

Professor Fitzgerald waited until everyone had cleared the Auditorium before turning to Rinoa with a slightly less menacing glance. "Miss Heartilly, we have high expectations for this year's Formal. You and I need to make sure that this one is a success." Professor Fitzgerald and Rinoa discussed a few elements of he Formal before the professor finally released Rinoa back to her class. She was right. They did have high expectations.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Music entertainment?" Quistis asked reading over Rinoa's list of things she had to do for the Winter Formal. "You mean we might actually have live entertainment instead of a CD put together by the committee with lame music on it? Wow, that is an improvement."

"Yeah, but who am I going to find in three weeks? Professor Fitzgerald says I can pay the entertainment 200 dollars, but who would want to perform for a bunch of high school kids?" Rinoa frowned, walking out to the parking lot with the other two.

"Oh, believe me, you'd be surprised. A gig is a gig." Quistis told her.

"Hey, Rinny! What about your mom? Do you think she'd do it?" Selphie asked excitedly.

Rinoa stopped. _Would mom do it?_ She figured if she couldn't find anyone else, she would ask her. "I don't know. I can ask her."

"I think it should be a band. Bands always get high ratings at dances." Quistis added. "Maybe you could find a local band from, like, Dollet."

"Or a local band from here in Balamb even!" Selphie exclaimed, bursting with excitement.

"But are there any good local bands? I don't want to make the Formal lame like last year. I'd never be able to live it down." Rinoa opened her car door and threw her stuff in absentmindedly.

Quistis was suddenly hit with a brilliant beyond brilliant idea. She smiled wickedly before turning to Rinoa. "Listen, you take care of the decorating and all that stuff. Let me and Selphie worry about the band issue." Selphie looked at Quistis with wide eyes, wondering what she was planning.

"Really? You'd do that for me? Thanks so much, Quis!" Rinoa blew out a sigh of relief and hugged her friend.

"Absolutely." She smiled wickedly again. It was all too easy.

* * *

A/N: I wonder what Quistis has planned? Well, you'll just have to find out, but first, I need everyone's help with a little issue. There will be a chapter concerning the Winter Formal itself, but I need music entertainment. So I want your opinions. Tell me which you would rather have: Julia Heartilly singing, Grimm's Defeat (which is a band consisting of Seifer, Squall, Drag, and Zion), or a real band in our world. Let me know and it will happen, but remember, no matter what the decision, I will add my own twist to it. Lol. Okay? One more thing, you will come to hate Professor Fitzgerald. Trust me. She is evil. And Rinoa's attitude is very inconsistent in this chapter and a few others, but you'll have to deal with it. Sorry! R&R and Later Days!


	13. The Bad Spy Movie

Hey, hey, hey! Miss me? Good. I missed you guys! Oh! Thanks for your help so far with the decisions on the band issue for those of you who have given me your input. As for the rest of you: PLEASE tell me what you would rather see! This is the _interactive_ part that you guys take place in. It'll be in your best interest, believe me. On, second thought, don't believe me, and just tell me what you think. Oh, and for those who want to know: I am against Prom so it's the Winter Formal.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Final Fantasy VIII. I just have a mild obsession.

**_Life Less Ordinary_******

****

_Chapter Thirteen _

_"The Bad Spy Movie"_

"All right, so Quistis is helping with the Winter Formal, which means she's planning something big." Drag told his brother and Bryce. The three guys sat in the backyard under a large maple tree that was losing its colorful leaves.

"That will probably have something to do with the Formal itself!" Zion added with excitement.

"Didn't I just say that?" he demanded. Zion glared at his brother and then rolled his eyes in sheer annoyance.

"Hey, what is this Formal thing, anyway?" Bryce asked. He'd only heard it briefly mentioned among his friends and cousins.

"It's some big dance held every year. Everyone makes a huge deal out of it." Drag shrugged. He didn't really care for dances.

"It's like Prom in Esthar only it's held in December instead of May." Zion told him, explaining it since Drag wouldn't.

"So, I can't go, right?" Bryce tried to hide his frown.

"No, I think it's open to everyone." Zion replied, picking out a four-leaf clover from the patch he'd been previously studying.

"Hey! Can we go back to what's important here? Jeez!" Drag snapped.

"Yeah, yeah. Quit your bitching." Zion pulled the cloves off the stem and flung them into the wind, not caring that he had probably just cost himself a lot of bad luck.

"What could Quistis be planning that has to do with the Winter Formal? I don't understand." Bryce asked, following Drag's orders and returning to the main objective of the whole conversation.

"That's what I want to know, too, but so far, she hasn't said a word. I'm thinking she may not tell us the actual master plan." Drag scratched at his chin where whiskers were sprouting. He hadn't shared yet today.

"Do you think she suspects what we're doing?" Zion looked up from his seeming less task, his face full of worry and immediate concern.

"I don't think so, but she can be pretty sneaky. She could already know that we're up to something. I wouldn't put it past her." Drag answered.

"But, hey, we can't act before she does, you know that, right? We have to know the plan before we can sabotage it." Bryce said.

"Duh!" Zion and Drag said in unison.

"So shouldn't we wait to have this little meeting until after we know exactly what's going on?" Bryce demanded.

"Probably, but what if Quistis doesn't tell us exactly what's going on?" Drag retaliated. "What then, genius?"

"I guess then you would take a wild stab in the dark." Bryce shrugged, not actually caring.

"Exactly," Drag grinned. "And I already have something in mind."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

At the time of this meeting, Seifer pulled into the driveway, looking for Squall. Suspicion had been eating at him for days now. He needed to have a serious, heart-to-heart conversation with his buddy.

He sprinted into the house and went straight to the basement, saying a brief greeting to Raine as he disappeared down the stairs. The basement was dark, but a light shown from under the closed door that was Squall's bedroom at the base of the stairs. He jumped over the remaining three steps and pounded on the door, yelling Squall's name- his full name- declaring his urgency to speak with his friend.

"Open the door! Squall! Come on, man! Door! Now! It's important!" He yelled, now using both hands to pound on the door.

Movement was heard from the inside and the door opened to reveal Squall standing only in a pair of black, loose sweatpants and an extremely pissed expression.

"Can I help you?" he demanded, leaning against the doorframe.

"We need to talk." He said seriously.

"About…?" He didn't move or change his expression.

"Well," he turned around and looked up at the door, then back to squall." Can we talk in private?"

"We are in private." Squall replied.

"No, listen. I don't want to be heard." Seifer lowered his voice and looked over his shoulder again.

"Fine." Squall walked back into his room and Seifer followed. Squall sat on the edge of his bed and Seifer took the desk chair, facing him. "What?"

"Listen, something has been kind of bugging me, and I need you to be truthful, okay?" He stared seriously into Squall's face, demanding what he needed.

"Go on." He didn't agree or disagree with the statement but watched and listened to Seifer nonetheless. His cold eyes glared at him, expressing his increasing annoyance.

"How much do you know?" Seifer asked straight out. The magic of guilt had finally gotten to him.

"About what? I know a lot of things." Squall retaliated, not seeing the point of this conversation except the fact that could be doing something more constructive.

"About what Quistis is trying to do." He finally managed to spit it out. He held his breath. Squall's next words would either tell him Squall knew what was going on or that Seifer had just blown it.

A smirk crept up onto Squall's face. He watched Seifer squirm. "I know more than you think."

"But how much? I need to know." He breathed out finally, feeling his own face turning blue.

"Enough to know that I don't like it." Squall determined that if he played his cards right, he could obtain the information he needed. He knew Seifer's weakness and could exploit it with riddling words.

"How much, dammit!" Seifer nearly yelled. He wasn't trying to lose his temper as he had only come down here to find out what Squall knew.

Should he just say it? Should he bend and tell him? Squall wondered if there was a way that he could still benefit himself without pissing Seifer off in the process. It was highly amusing to see him irritated, though, but he would rather have Seifer as a friend than an enemy.

"I know that she's plotting to set me and Rinoa up with the help of Selphie, Drag, Zion, you, Zell, and Irvine. I also know that Drag and Zion are playing the Devil's Advocate and trying to sabotage what she's trying to do with the help of Bryce." Squall replied in one breath. Seifer's jaw dropped. He hadn't expected Squall to know that much!

"How much does Rinoa know?" he tried to hide his shock, but Squall had already seen it.

"Same."

"Damn!" Seifer looked away briefly and then turned back to Squall. "Listen, man, I'm sorry. I was against this! I can tell them hat you and Rinoa know and tell them to call if off and leave you guys alone." He was afraid that Squall was mad.

But for whatever reason, he wasn't. "No, don't. I have a better idea." He smirked. "Let's mess with 'em. Esthar style."

Seifer laughed, throwing his head back in hysteria. He looked back to Squall. "Count me in!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Again, Rinoa was lost in her thoughts wondering about the codes that could crack Squall's multi-combination lock. She wasn't any closer to understanding him, but she hadn't had the chance to get near him. He was distancing himself, exhibiting an erotic behavior. It was highly annoying. It was like being in a room with no windows and no doors and you were expected to find your way out. Which resulted in complete and utter aggravation.

She was picking out the colors for the Formal and deciding on what types of flower petals would be used to decorate. She was currently in the library, drawing up plans that would be handed in to Professor Fitzgerald before the end of the day. For once, she found it difficult to concentrate on what she was doing. She would much rather be sitting in a corner plotting on ways to get Squall to reveal himself to her.

"Hey," A voice said behind her, making her jump. She turned around to see Bryce standing there.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?" she realized then that she sounded like a teacher and cringed because of it.

"Yeah, but I'm supposed to be taking a test for Trig. The teach thinks it'll take me an hour and a half, but it won't. I'm thinking twenty minutes." Bryce yawned in boredom.

"So you're going to chill out for 90 minutes while your teacher thinks you are diligently taking a test? You are such a bad boy!" Rinoa couldn't help but laugh.

"Nah. I'm the good one compared to my brother." Bryce flopped down and tossed the test and his calculator on the table. 'You don't even want to know some of the bad things he's done!"

"I thought he used to be a good boy?" Rinoa went back to her plans, avoiding letting Bryce hear the confusion in her voice.

"Yeah, until he turned thirteen. That's when the trouble started!" he laughed at what was meant to have been a joke. Rinoa hadn't heard the amusement and looked up at Bryce with raised eyebrows. "That was a joke, Rin." He grinned.

It shocked her that he used that old nickname. Squall had been he only one who actually called her that, which was several years old.

"Don't you have a test that you need to do?" Rinoa demanded in a playful manner.

"Already done." He handed it to her and smiled as she looked over it with wide eyes. "I told you it wouldn't take me long."

"Wow." She smiled at him. She knew all the answers were right, too.

"So what are you doing?" he took the test back and laid it on the table. He watched her lean back over and continue her work.

"I'm in charge of the stuff for the Winter Formal, so I'm deciding on the decoration plans." She told him nonchalantly. "I have to make sure that this year's Formal is the best ever, or I'll never live it down." She shuddered at the thought of last year. It was all up to her to make sure that this year doesn't fail.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, and the dance will be fun." He smiled at her, forcing Rinoa to realize what a great smile he had. "Why is it a Winter Formal anyway?"

"Because Winter is so beautiful here and because the school was founded in the winter. That's why." Rinoa didn't look up from her work.

"Wow. So is there a Prom here as well?" he asked.

"No. It's just the Winter Formal. We don't do too many dancing activities, which is kind of a bummer. We could use more exciting things to do here." Rinoa tried not to sound bummed-out by her school's flat-out lack of excitement.

"Yeah, Esthar was a crazy place. At the school there were so many parties that every weekend something was happening. That place was like a college campus because Esthar University was only a few blocks away, but the high school was probably more lively than the college." Bryce told her.

"I thought you went to a private school?" Rinoa asked, surprised at his story.

"I did but that doesn't mean I still didn't know what was going on." Bryce told her with a laugh. "I think just about everyone knew what was going on in Esthar. Why do you think we're here?" By "we" Rinoa knew Bryce meant himself, Squall, Drag, and Zion.

"I've always heard that everything in Esthar was so perfect and well-organized. Galbadia seems like more of a bad place than Esthar." Rinoa shrugged.

"Yeah, well, that's what the Grand Council and dad wanted the rest of the world to believe, I guess. There have been some problems with drinking and drugs in the schools of Esthar lately." Bryce yawned, getting bored of this conversation.

"I guess you shouldn't always believe what you hear, right?" Rinoa smiled at him.

"Sometimes. In my opinion, if it's bad, don't listen, but if it's good, go ahead and listen." Bryce looked up with a broad grin, and Rinoa instantly saw Laguna in him. She noticed that Bryce was the spitting image of Laguna complete with his goofy attitude, while Squall was exactly like Raine including her renowned short temper.

"What?" Bryce asked, his grin fading away slowly.

"Nothing. I just noticed something, that's all." She blushed and went back, yet again, to her work. She hadn't gotten much done since Bryce came in.

"What?" he asked again. This time wanting to know what it was that she had been thinking about.

"Oh, it was nothing. Trust me." She buried herself in a Decorating For Dummies book that had just been a weight to hold down her blueprints for the gym. She was embarrassed and quite unsure why.

"Okay. If you say so." Bryce looked away with a disappointed look on his face purposely to try and get Rinoa to tell him. Needless to say, it didn't work; she didn't even see him. After a few minutes, the younger realized that the conversation had pretty much died. He stood with his test in hand. "I'd better get back to class. Later, Rinoa!"

"See ya!" she said, maybe too happily and watched Bryce leave the library.

Finally able to go back to her task in peace, she found she could no longer concentrate. Assuming it was completely useless and pointless to try, Rinoa packed up her things and returned to History. Her thoughts now confused with the two brothers. She didn't want to make comparisons or even decisions concerning the two, but she found it might be inevitable.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So what are you going to do about the music entertainment problem?" Selphie asked Quistis who sat on the edge of the stage in the Auditorium with a clipboard in her hand.

"Correction: we. You are going to help me." She didn't even bother to look up but continued with what she was doing. Selphie rolled her eyes and peeked over Quistis' shoulder to view what she was doing.

"Okay, so what are we going to do?" Selphie reworded the question but had a bad feeling about this.

"We are going to have auditions for the band position." Quistis waved her hand, indicating that Selphie's question was unnecessary.

"What?" Selphie jumped up in shock. "Do we even know any good bands that could play at the biggest dance of the year?"

Quistis looked up at Selphie. "Why do you think we're holding these auditions? Come on, Selphie. Use your head for once." She returned to her clipboard, obviously annoyed.

Selphie bit her lower lip and chose not to respond to her friend's harsh comment. She sat down and swung her legs over the edge of the stage.

Behind the two girls, hiding behind the heavy black curtain, stood Squall and Seifer, watching and listening. They were taking great care to make sure that they were not seen. Seifer held in his hand a small notebook and was jotting things down as they continued to listen to the girls' conversation.

"So when will these auditions be held and how will we let potential bands know that we're holding auditions?" Selphie asked.

"Elementary, Selphie. We put up posters and pass out flyers and have the auditions in about a week and a half maybe two." Quistis replied with a continuous annoyed voice.

"Will that give them enough time to prepare for the dance?" Selphie asked, concerned.

"A band?" Seifer whispered low to Squall. The other guy shrugged and returned his attention to Selphie and Quistis.

"I should hope so." Quistis was saying. "This dance has to be perfect. The decorations, the music, even the mood has to be perfect."

"Yeah! Rinny's reputation depends on it!" Selphie exclaimed.

"No, my plan depends on it." Quistis corrected her.

"Which is? I mean, you haven't really told anyone." Selphie didn't look at her companion but chose to focus on the clock above the sound booth that didn't work anymore. That clock had been hanging, stopped at 4:37 for over 16 years and no one had bothered to take it down.

"I plan to have Squall and Rinoa win Formal King and Queen. After all, rumor has I that the King and Queen always end up dating." Quistis smiled despite of herself.

Selphie's jaw dropped. "That's it?" she couldn't believe it. "That's your grand master plan? Relying on a rumor? Come on, Quisty! You've got to think of something better than that!"

"You don't think it'll work?" she lowered her voice almost sadly.

"Frankly, no. And if it does, it's only because of peer pressure. You should know better than anyone that forced relationships never work." Selphie hated to shoot down her like this, but someone had to.

"Well, what do you propose?" she demanded, suddenly unhappy that her plan had been dissed.

"I don't know. You're the matchmaking mastermind here, not me. I just think you can come up with something better than that. You can't really rely on something that is assumed. I think you should consider something else, but you don't have to listen to me." Selphie shrugged, expressing her thoughts in a manner unlike how she normally did.

"No, I think you may be right. I'll consider something else, but…" she was cut off as the Auditorium door opened and Rinoa entered with several samples of the decoration materials.

"Oh, hey, Rinny!" Selphie exclaimed, jumping down off the stage to help her.

"Hey, guys! Wow, you're early. The meeting doesn't start for another 20 minutes." Rinoa placed the stuff down on the edge of the stage and glanced down at her watch. It was 3:40pm.

"We were working on the music entertainment plans." Quistis smiled at Rinoa who missed the hidden look of secrecy that rested behind her.

"What's you plan?" she realized that wasn't quite how she had meant to word that but refrained from expressing her mistake. Squall smirked and found it difficult to hold back a laugh. Rinoa was obviously becoming paranoid.

"Well, we plan to hold auditions to find the perfect band to plan." Quistis told her while Selphie nodded and grinned.

"A band? Hat sounds cool. I think everyone will enjoy that." Rinoa nodded her approval.

A about that time people pf the committee began to filter in, earlier than usual. Seifer motioned to Squall that it was time for them to "exit stage right." They slipped out through the back into the band room and out the hall.

"So what do we have?" Squall asked as they headed outside of the school, unnoticed.

"Not much, unfortunately. We know they're holding auditions for bands and that they're trying to make you and Rinoa Formal King and Queen." Seifer laughed at that last part, and Squall raised an eyebrow in regards to what he found to funny. "I can't picture you a King of anything. Sorry." He laughed harder.

"Oh, really?" he asked with a smirk. "Well, neither can I, which is why we need to stop that from happening."

"If you say so." Seifer just shrugged.

"But they might not go with that plan. They might do something else. We have to find out what." Squall deliberately changed the subject. "Which means, someone has to find out exactly what she will be planning." He looked at Seifer who knew exactly who that someone would be.

"She hasn't told me anything yet, so what makes you think she'll tell me the new plan?" Seifer asked. He couldn't believe how big of a mess he'd gotten himself into. First, he agreed to help Quistis set up his best friend with a childhood friend, the he agreed (almost an hour later) to help his two friends sabotage what Quistis was trying to do, and now he was helping that same best friend get all of them back. This had to have been the craziest school year of his life.

"Do I look like the bearer of all knowledge? I didn't think so." Squall said in irritation. "You'll just have to do what we just did. It's not hard."

"Why do I feel like I'm in a bad spy movie?" Seifer asked under his breath. He heard Squall chuckle and turned to him. "Why can't you do that? Why me?"

"Because I will be getting the 411 on Drag and Zion. I want to know what they're planning. After all, I live with them. How hard could it be?" he shrugged and opened his car door. Seifer walked to his with no response. Squall said his goodbyes and drove out of the parking lot.

"This has got to be the craziest thing in the world. Could this possibly be my life?" Seifer asked, looking up at the clouds. A younger student walked by him to the school, giving him odd looks. Seifer's face warmed considerably, and he got into his car hurriedly.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall drove back to his house and found Drag and Zion doing their usual thing- watching TV and doing basically nothing. He grabbed a soda and jumped to the couch.

"What's up, guys?" Squall asked. They grunted in a manner that told him sheer boredom was what was up. He watched them carefully. Drag had his drumsticks and was drumming on knees, telling Squall that he was nervous about something, but what, though? He decided not to waste time pondering on it and turned his attention to Zion. Zion was tapping his fingers stiffly on his knee as he watched some stupid fighting show about a little yellow dude with a huge head who always screwed up figures of speech. Squall considered carefully whether or not to execute part of his own plan or wait for Seifer's input.

"Hey, guys. I hear Quistis and Selphie are holding auditions for bands to play at the Winter Formal. Maybe we should try out." Squall somehow managed to sound casual about it, but it took more than he thought.

Zion looked up quickly and Drag gripped his drumsticks so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Squall couldn't help but be pleased with their reaction and smiled despite of him.

"Do you really think we should?" Zion asked, nervously. He didn't trust Squall's motives. He was up to something.

"No." Drag said in response to Zion's question and Squall's suggestion.

"Why not? It may be fun." Squall raised a questioning eyebrow to his cousin who immediately found himself uneasy.

"Because if it's anything like Esthar, it's going to suck. I don't want to be a part of something that will suck. It's a bad idea from start to finish, and I doubt if anyone will even like our type of music." Drag cringed at his own bad comment.

"What? Has rock taken that big of a downfall?" Squall asked almost playfully.

"Esthar rock has. You know it's more metal than anything." Drag was fighting a losing battle.

"Let's talk to Seifer about it tomorrow and see what he says." Zion said quickly, jumping in the middle and becoming the peacemaker as always.

"Whatever." Squall said, uncaring. He then noticed that there was something missing. "Hey! Where's Bryce?" It seemed odd that he wasn't here.

"Oh, he's helping out with the Winter Formal Committee." Zion's eyes were back on the TV just in time to see the "evil" villain get beaten…again.

"What?!" Squall and Drag both exclaimed, jumping to their feet. They both hadn't expected to hear that. Squall and Drag's suspicions were different, but they, in a way, were suspecting each other of having something to do with Bryce's sudden interest in the Winter Formal.

"Yeah. He said he needed something to so, so I guess he chose that." Zion didn't notice their shocked expressions.

"he had to choose a dance committee? That doesn't sound like Bryce." Squall shook his head.

"I wonder if Raine has anything to do with it?" Drag looked to Squall.

"I doubt it. She'd prefer to have him home to keep an eye on him. I don't think she'd make him help out with some stupid dance. This had to have been his idea, and I think he's up to something." Squall hadn't meant to say that last part out loud, but neither of the two guys even made any indication to have heard him.

"I just can't believe Bryce would care about a dance. He's probably the only guy there!" Drag exclaimed, making it clear that he was aggravated or curious in a suspecting way.

"Hey, it's just a dance! Does it matter that he's suddenly become a pansy and wants to help? It could be just to meet some girls! It doesn't matter so juts drop it!" Zion suddenly yelled. They were interrupting his show!

"It does matter!" They both yelled in unison.

"Well, make it matter somewhere else! You're making me miss my show!" Zion literally screamed and turned up the volume on the TV to max, pointing out his argument that they needed to shut up.

In response, Squall and Drag jumped up again and raced up the stairs. Zion sighed in satisfaction and returned the volume to normal. He was happy now; he had actually won. Write that down on the calendar.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"I can't believe that you, of all people, are actually helping out." Rinoa said to Bryce as he assisted her in the choosing of decorations. "This is pretty cool." She couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, well. I have nothing better to do." Bryce shrugged.

The Committee meeting was running quite smoothly. Rinoa had handed out assignment sheets, and everyone was busy working. Quistis and Selphie were steadily working on posters that would announce he band auditions, and so far, everyone liked the idea of a live band performing.

"That's cool." Rinoa repeated. She couldn't help but be excited. Everything was actually going quite smoothly. Maybe this dance wouldn't be so bad after all.

"And I also heard from a reasonable source that last year didn't go so well." Bryce smiled, enjoying the look on her face.

"Yeah, last year wasn't so great. The seniors last year didn't even care, and it was obvious at the dance. Everything about last year was terrible. I told myself I wouldn't let that happen this year. I promised that this Formal would be great!" Rinoa smiled confidently.

"It will be, don't worry." Bryce reassured her. Rinoa smiled at him and hugged him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So that's his game, eh?" Squall whispered to Seifer through clenched teeth as he and Seifer watched from their hiding place. He could feel his blood boiling under his skin, and he wanted to run out there and kill his brother.

"I don't think so. Something tells me he's got another thing up his sleeve." Seifer watched intently, feeling more and more like he was trapped in that bad spy movie.

"And what would that be? Moving in on my girl?" Squall growled and cracked his knuckles.

"I thought you didn't like her like that? I thought the only reason why you wanted to sabotage this was to keep everyone from hooking you up with Rinoa?" Seifer asked, nearly taunting him.

"Remember when I said that it's on my to-do list? Well, this is my to-do list!" He replied, trying to keep his voice down.

"What are you talking about?" Seifer demanded.

"Getting together with Rinoa!" Squall replied, his voice getting louder and louder until he actually yelled the last part, "It's on my to-do list!"

The entire auditorium went dead silent, and Seifer and Squall ducked behind the curtains before anyone could see them. There were whispers of _"What was that?"_ and someone actually began whistling The Phantom of the Opera.

Rinoa and Bryce were the closest to the two guys, and they stared in their direction. Rinoa's suspicions were higher than Bryce's.

"What was that?" Selphie asked as she and Quistis walked over to Rinoa and Bryce.

"I have no idea." Rinoa replied with a raised eyebrow, still staring in that direction. She did have an idea though. She had a very good idea.

"Way to go, genius." Seifer whispered harshly to Squall who shrugged in guilt.

"Do you think we should check it out?" Selphie asked, nervously. She was actually scared. What if the auditorium was haunted?

"We need a distraction, bad." Squall whispered.

"Ya think?" Seifer whispered back to him harshly. He referred back to the spy movie and figured that this was the part where the good guys met the bad guy, but Seifer wasn't sure who was who.

Rinoa began walking to the guys, carefully and suspiciously. She thought she knew who was there, thought she recognized the voice. She could be wrong, though.

Squall motioned for Seifer to follow him, and the two guys slipped behind the percussion instruments to the door while all eyes focused on Rinoa. For once, Seifer was thankful for the marching and Concert Bands, leaving their stuff against the walls.

Rinoa turned back around and shrugged to the others, but as she did so, out the corner of her eye, she saw Squall and Seifer slip out the door. _What were they doing?_ She wondered, but didn't have time to find out. Quistis was calling her, stressing that they needed to get back to work. Rinoa returned to her work, and she was no determined to find out what those two were doing. They were up to something, and she had a bad feeling that it wasn't good.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

For the second time that day, Squall and Seifer returned to the parking lot from the Auditorium, but this time, they were grasping for air and trying no to laugh.

"That was close!" Seifer exclaimed. "Not to mention possibly the stupidest thing you've ever done!"

Squall, who wasn't one to admit defeat nodded, chuckling to himself as he breathed heavily. "Do you think anyone saw us?" he leaned against his car, trying to settle himself.

"I hope not, but I actually think we were in the clear. Tomorrow, I am going to thank the Marching Band. I've finally found a good use for their percussion equipment." He doubled over in laughter.

"You know, this has been the most interesting school year ever." Squall joined him in the laughter, and the two guys sank to the ground between their cars.

Seifer leaned his head back against his car and rested his arm on his propped up knee. "Oh, man! I don't know what's crazier, spying on a dance committee or planning to get payback on all your friends."

"I'd say payback." Squall sat across from him, resting against his own car.

"Yeah. The spying reminds me too much of a bad spy movie." He laughed and Squall raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"If you say so." Squall replied, shrugging. The two guys feel into silence before looking back at each other and laughing.

* * *

A/N: Well, what'd ya think? I thought it was funny just because of the spy thing. It came out that way, actually. I didn't even plan it that way. My writing has a mind of its own. Lol. Next chapter coming as soon as I type it. Later Days!


	14. Completely Unexpected

Hey, guys! That last chapter was pretty funny, wasn't it? Well, wait till you read this one. I have a feeling that several jaws will hit the floor. Just don't shoot me, kay? It's all part of the master plan, and I don't mean Quistis'. Mwuahahahahahaha!

Disclaimer: Don't own Final Fantasy. Stop asking.

**_Life Less Ordinary_******

****

**_Chapter Fourteen _**

_"Completely Unexpected" _

The decorating was coming along nicely for the Formal Committee, but there was one little problem: there were still no decisions on the band situation. Quistis had held the auditions several days ago, but they still didn't have a band, and the Winter Formal was in five days. Rinoa was now in a severe state of panic. They still had to have music entertainment! She didn't want to have to resort to making a CD like the seniors did last year. She had made a promise that this year would be great, and now she was afraid that she would have to break that promise.

"OH, this is bad! This is so bad!" she exclaimed, sitting at a table with Selphie and Quistis. There were five pieces of paper in front of them, displaying five of the bands that had auditioned, and each was just as bad as the rest. Not a single band had been worthy enough to perform at the dance. Heck, some of them weren't even worthy enough to perform to an empty room.

"We have to choose one of them. We have no other choice." Rinoa said sadly.

"But they were all terrible!" Selphie declared in protest.

"What if we hold another audition? Maybe we can still find that perfect band." Quistis suggested, refusing to admit that she had failed.

"With the Formal five days away? There just isn't enough time!" Rinoa was so close to having a complete breakdown.

"Well, there's got to be something we can do!" Quistis protested, slamming her fist down on the table.

"Like what? The Formal is in FIVE DAYS!" Rinoa couldn't see how they could find a remedy to this disaster. She would be the most hated person in Balamb High! She'd be even worse than last year's seniors!

"Listen, a lot can happen in five days. We'll figure out something, okay?" Quistis tried her best to encourage Rinoa, but it didn't seem possible. "I mean, if nothing else we could always ask your mom to sing, right?"

"I don't think she'll do it." Rinoa dropped her head onto the table, hiding her shame.

"We have to try, Rinoa! We have to try!" Selphie patted Rinoa on the back lightly. She looked to Quistis with a worried expression, who returned it with a shrug. Maybe they really were doomed.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Wow, the girls don't look too happy." Squall observed as he and Squall entered Joe's and laid eyes on the three distraught girls. "I wonder what's up?"

"They don't have a band." Seifer replied getting a soda from Joe.

Squall turned to him. "Oh, so you actually have been doing your homework." He was referring to Seifer watching Quistis and getting more info on her plan.

"Yeah, well, don't get too excited. She hasn't said anything about another plan." Seifer told him.

"Then let's assume that she's going with the original one." The two guys walked over to their usual spot.

"Don't assume." Seifer grinned as Squall glared at him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"What about the guys?" Selphie asked Quistis after Rinoa had gotten up to get a soda.

"What about them?" Quistis asked. She drummed her fingers on the table, annoyed that she had failed. She needed that perfect band, and it was nowhere to be found!

"Can't they play at the dance?" At this point Selphie was desperate.

"Do they even know how?"

"Yeah, Bryce said something about it a while back."

"They won't do it." Bryce answered, joining them at the table. "Squall said he's not even going to bother to come."

"WHAT?!" Quistis shrieked, jumping to her feet. "He has to!"

"He says he has plans." Bryce shrugged. As far as he was concerned, Quistis' plan was stopped dead in its tracks.

"Ooh! This isn't fair! He has to come!" She felt herself getting madder and madder.

"Well, good luck getting him to change his mind. He seems pretty set on it, and so does Seifer." Bryce hated to be the bearer of bad news.

"Wha?" she gasped upon hearing those last few words. "No!" she slowly sank back into her seat, devastated.

"Yeah. He and Squall have something planned and aren't coming." Bryce was reluctant to tell them this, but he figured it was better now than later.

Rinoa had come up behind them just in time to hear Bryce say that Squall and Seifer weren't coming and that they already had something planned. She didn't take what Bryce said for face value. She knew better than that. He was plotting something, and by "he" she meant Squall. She didn't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation but turned around and headed through the crowed room to find Squall and demand some answers.

She found him sitting on a couch with Seifer, deep in conversation. She sat across from him and waited patiently for him to finish and take notice of her sitting there. Lucky for her, it didn't take long. Squall stopped in mid-sentence and looked across to Rinoa who sat with her arms over her chest and one leg over the other, waiting. He whispered something to Seifer, who nodded and excused himself leaving Rinoa and Squall alone.

"What's up?" Squall asked, moving to sit on the coffee table closer to her.

"I think I should be asking you that." Rinoa said coldly, her body stiff along with her expression.

He raised his trademark-questioning eyebrow, confused to what she was saying.

"You're not coming to the Formal? Why?" she demanded.

"I have better things to do." He answered, matching her cold tone.

Rinoa's face tightened and she leaned in closer to him. "okay, listen, punk. I'm not stupid. You're up to something, and you had better start talking."

Squall decreased the distance between them even more until their noses were nearly touching. "What makes you think I'm up to something? I could just have other plans on Saturday. I'm not as guilty as you seem to think I am." He gave her a cocky smirk.

"Tell me what's going on. I don't trust you." She whispered, returning the smirk. She would not let him get away without telling her what she wanted to know.

"There's nothing to tell, Rin." He stressed her old nickname in sarcasm, revealing that he wasn't telling her all that there was to tell.

"Rinoa." She rolled her eyes. "I know you better than that. You've got something up your sleeve, and something tells me it has something to do with the Formal. Now either you start singing or I will force it out of you in a very painful way."

Squall was actually surprised at her sudden hint at violence but kept his cool. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Rest assured, Rin. There's nothing that will endanger your precious Winter Formal. Seifer and I won't be anywhere near this place on Saturday." He smiled and stood up. She followed him and grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving. He looked at her in shock.

"Do I look stupid to you?" she demanded, her temper flaring. "Tell me what's going on!"

He shook his head, trying to tell her that there was nothing, but she took it as his determination to keep his plans secret from her. Her face-hardened, and she became even angrier. They stared at each other for several long moments; one on shock while the other in anger. Finally, Squall broke the connection and pulled himself away from Rinoa.

"There is nothing. I promise." With that he left her standing there, angry and even confused. He also left her with even more determination to find out what he really had planned. She was fuming in that spot when someone appeared at her side.

"Wow! You look like you could kill someone with that look." Bryce spoke. He let out a low whistle. She turned to him in shock, not expecting to find him there. He smiled at her, which she tried to return; naturally it didn't work the way she wanted it to. Bryce's face fell, and he looked into hers intently. "What's wrong? You look miserable."

Rinoa shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't have time for this. The Winter Formal was in five days, and she needed to make sure that nothing went wrong. But to do that she needed to find out what Squall was up to. She didn't trust him, and their brief conversation hadn't given her any reason to either. She hated having this kind of doubt on someone she thought she knew well, but at this point she knew it couldn't be helped. Rinoa turned to realize that Bryce was still waiting on answer from her. She sighed deeply.

"The Formal is in five days, and I have a feeling that your brother is planning something, but he won't tell me what." She told him, paranoia obviously getting to her. She felt her face get warmer and she muttered quickly. "It's nothing. Never mind."

Embarrassment having gotten the best of her, she attempted to remove herself from the conversation, but Bryce stopped her much in the same fashion that she had done to Squall only several moments before.

"Wait. Please." He didn't want to let her walk away just yet. "I have to ask you something."

Rinoa realized that Bryce no longer wore his happy, goofy expression but had replaced it with a serious, down-to-earth one. She stopped and waited for him to continue.

"I know this may seem a little awkward and all, but I gotta ask anyway. You don't have to answer right away or anything, but.." he trailed off, getting more nervous by the second.

"What is it?" Rinoa had never seen him like this before.

"I…I…I want to know if you'll go to the Winter Formal with me." He finally managed to get it out. He was relieved but soon fear appeared at the thought of what she might say.

Rinoa's jaw hit the floor. She couldn't hide her shock. Bryce was honestly the last person she'd ever thought of to ask her to the dance. She was flattered, and maybe if her emotions hadn't been scattered all over the place, she may have been able to think a little bit better.

Bryce didn't like her reaction; it made him nervous. He cracked his knuckles and shook uncontrollably. He felt like such a fool. He'd never been so nervous in his life as he was right now. It was a 50-50 chance of what she might say that would be of a benefit to him.

"Uh, don't worry about it." He waved away his question along with his dignity and started to walk away.

"No wait, Bryce!" she ran and stopped him. The frown on his face was terrible. "I," she took a deep breath. "I would love to go to the Formal with you."

His face immediately lit up, and he grinned broadly. Rinoa returned the smile genuinely and hugged him. She then bid him goodbye and retuned to join Selphie and Quistis.

"Yes!" Bryce punched the air in excitement and happiness.

* * *

A/N: Don't kill me!!!! R&R. I concluded that I had better not say anything right now so it can have time to sink in. Lol. Later Days!


	15. Frustrated

Okay, Okay! I didn't know there was a "Guy Code." I looked it up on the Internet, and yes, there is such a thing. My bad, but hey. It's all part of the plan. You'll see what I mean.

Disclaimer: As usual I don't own Final Fantasy VIII. I do, however, own Bryce, Drag (which stands for Devin Riley Alexander Grant III for anyone who wants to know), Zion, and a certain song, but you won't see that for a while yet.

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

**_Chapter Fifteen _**

_"Frustrated" _

Bryce returned to the house in higher spirits than when he had left. Squall found his brother's behavior rather suspicious, and as his happy brother ascended the stairs to his room, Squall turned to Seifer.

"What's with him?" he asked.

Seifer's face displayed obvious nervousness, and he shook his head. "believe me, you don't want to know." He opened the door to the basement and headed down with Squall in tow.

"No I do! Tell me! He was miserable when we left!" Squall demanded being told.

"Trust me!" Seifer turned to him in all sincerity. "You don't want to know. It'll just cause the biggest family dispute of the year, and I don't think Bryce wants to die just yet."

"What'd he do?" Squall demanded, not letting up at all now that Seifer had revealed that piece of information.

"What part of 'trust me' do you struggle with?" Seifer asked, jumping onto a couch and grabbing the remote before Squall could. "And I don't want to be the one to tell you."

"All of it. Now tell me." He was determined. "It's not going to hurt anything."

"Oh, yes it will." Seifer was flipping through channels trying to find something good with not much lick. Snow was falling outside, and there was nothing but Christmas Specials on every channel.

"Just tell me. This is the time of universal brotherhood. I won't hurt him." Squall said sincerely.

Seifer sighed. "Fine, but you're not going to like it, and you didn't hear it from me." Squall waited impatiently. "Your brother asked Rinoa to the Formal and since you said you weren't going, she said yes." Seifer spoke as quickly as possible in hopes that Squall hadn't heard it all, but he did, every word.

And his jaw hit the floor. "What?" he was praying that he had heard him wrong, too.

"I told you that you wouldn't like it." Seifer focused on the TV and avoided looking at Squall. "You should've listened to me when I said to trust me."

At first, Squall was silent, then, as if one literally see it, his top blew. "Why would she go with me? Why?" he demanded, slamming a pillow from the couch into the nearest wall.

"Because you said you weren't going, and also as a way to get back at Quistis. If she knows as much as you say she does, then I'm sure she's going to try to stop it, too. I mean, it wouldn't surprise me." Seifer concentrated on the TV still. He didn't even try to calm Squall down.

"But I am going!" Squall protested, feeling his own rage get the better of him. He felt like the Incredible Hulk, calm at one moment and then raging mad and destructive the next. At least he wasn't green.

"No, you're not. You said you weren't! You said that you and I were going to Esthar for the weekend! And plus, the only reason why you would ever go would be to get the better of Quistis, not to go and have fun like normal people." Seifer finally found something worth watching.

"Yeah, so. You're going to help me , anyway." Squall demanded, tapping his foot impatiently.

Seifer shrugged. "So I am, but I'm not the one making a big deal out of this, now am I?"

"Whatever." Squall muttered, flopping down onto a couch. He was now the Incredible Sulk. He frowned.

Seifer broke his attention away from the TV to look at his buddy. "Oh, lighten up, ya big baby. It's not that bad. She's just going to the dance with him. It's not like she's going to marry him. Sheesh!"

"Yeah, well. I'll make sure of that." Squall muttered under his breath.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa sighed as she sat at the kitchen table doing the one thing she didn't want to do. Her laptop sat before her, and she was browsing through songs to put on a CD for the Winter Formal, now four days away. She had wanted to avoid this, but that was no longer an option. They couldn't use any of the bands that had tried out, and they couldn't hold auditions again. There was just no time.

Julia watched her daughter from the door with a sad expression. "I told you I would sing if you needed me to, sweetie."

"I know, mom, but that wouldn't be right. Don't take offense, mom, but I just wanted this to be perfect, and I don't want to cheat by using my mother as the music entertainment. I have to at least make an effort." Rinoa replied as she continued her wrongful task.

"And is making a CD any different?" Julia demanded. "I'm not taking offense, but I still think that if you want this to be a success, then you should try just a little harder, sweetie. You're taking the easy way out, and you're not helping yourself in doing so."

"But I did try! And so did Selphie and Quistis! We tried and failed!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"Did you examine all the options? Did you look at everything for what it is and not face value? There is a lot you can still do. Don't give up just because the odds are against you. You'll find that things are much easier to handle once you've looked through both sides of the glass." With those last riddling words, Julia left her daughter alone. She couldn't win her battle for her, but she could put a little more fighting power in the camp. She headed to the den with the phone in hand and as she closed the thick mahogany door behind her, she dialed Raine's number.

Rinoa still sat at the table, staring at the computer screen but thinking about her mother's words. What could she do with four days left to go? Her eyes landed on the pile of papers containing information on the bands that had auditioned. She grabbed the first five, which were the better of the rest. She and Quistis hadn't returned any calls yet, so maybe, it wasn't too late. She jotted down the numbers of each band, and just for backup, clicked the burn icon on her computer. She grabbed her car keys, left her mother a note, and left the house to find Quistis. They had a lot of work to do.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Bryce!" Squall yelled, pounding on his brother's bedroom door. Seifer had left, and the war was just now beginning. "Open the door! Now! I have a few words for you and so does my fist!" he would break down the door if he had to.

Luckily he didn't have to. Bryce opened the door with a cocky smirk. "I was wondering how long it would be before you came." He couldn't hide his smirk. For once, he'd actually won.

"Yeah, well, I have a few words to say to you, so let me in." Squall said, then within a split second decided not to wait and let himself in, shoving Bryce out of the way in the process.

Bryce shut the door and turned his attention to his brother. "So what can I help you with _brother_?" he stressed the title as he flipped his long, black bangs out of his eyes. His smirk still remained on his cute features.

"Wipe that smile off your face before I do it myself." He threatened, snarling. By now he was pissed beyond all reasonable measure. Fuck universal brotherhood, he was going to kill his brother. No question about it. "You know why I'm here."

Bryce's smirk only got bigger. "I have a pretty good idea." He almost laughed, but his brother was clearly not amused.

"I want to know what you game is." Squall was speaking through clenched teeth and his handsome features reflected his rage.

"What game?" Bryce asked with innocence but a hint of suspicion. He raised an eyebrow and again, increased his smile only to the agitation of his brother.

"You know what I mean!" Squall hissed. He was severely close to beating the crap out of his brother right then and there.

"No, I don't. And I also don't see what you're so crabbed about. It's just a dance." Bryce crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door, unafraid of his older. For once, he was taking his own stand. Unfortunately, he had picked the wrong way to go about doing it.

"With my girl!" Squall exploded. His voice literally shook the whole house.

"I don't see your name on her anywhere!" Bryce yelled back.

They continued into a loud, deadly argument that disrupted the entire house. Downstairs, Raine entered the front door with her husband, Laguna and his two aides and best friends, Kiros and Ward. Laguna was home for the holidays, taking a much-needed vacation from running the country of Esthar.

"What is that?" Kiros asked.

"That would be squall and Bryce." Ellone replied, entering the room to greet her parents. She had come home from college for her own relaxation.

"Oh, what are they fighting about this time?" Raine demanded, glaring up the stairs at the sound of something (probably valuable) breaking.

"You mean they actually have moments when they're not fighting?" Laguna asked, laughing. "That's an improvement!" He threw his head back and laughed harder at his own joke. Needless to say, he was the only one laughing. Ellone only chuckled at her father's silliness while her mother, Kiros, and Ward frowned disapprovingly.

Upon hearing the _other_ commotion, Drag and Zion appeared from the basement. "Uncle Laguna!" They yelled and both went to greet their favorite uncle.

"hey, boys!" he hugged and shook hands with them both. "So how long has this been on-going?" he pointed put o the ceiling to indicate the fight.

"Not long." Zion answered. "But that doesn't mean it won't end." Laguna laughed again. Raine was about to interject and scold her husband but never got the chance.

Upstairs, they heard the obvious voice of Squall, "Damn you to Hell!" followed by the slamming of a door. Squall appeared at the top of the stairs, a permanent scowl plastered onto his face. He was snarling like a rabid animal as he descended the stairs. He didn't make eye contact with any of them but proceeded straight to the basemen. He slammed the door, shaking the house, and they could hear him stomping down the stairs to his bedroom.

"That can't be good!" Drag said, breaking the uneasy silence that had settled in.

"Okay, who wants to help play make-up?" Raine asked, sighing.

"Not me!" Drag said, going into the kitchen.

"Count me out!" Zion agreed, following his brother quickly.

"Sorry, honey, but I'm on vacation! I'm done settling disputes for a while!" Laguna grabbed Kiros and Ward and pulled them into the den before they could say anything.

"Looks like it's just you and me, mom." Ellone said with disappointment.

"As usual." Raine agreed. "Which one do you want to take?"

"I'll go talk to Squall." Ellone headed for the basement.

"I'll go to Bryce, then Good Luck!" Raine said to her daughter as she climbed the stairs to her youngest son's bedroom. She was getting way too old for this.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ellone opened the basement door, only to step into complete darkness. If she hadn't grabbed the railing, she was sure she would've fallen. She proceeded to descend the stairs, feeling like she was in some sort of demented fairy tale, making her way into the depths of the monster's lair, preparing for battle.

She laughed at her overactive imagination. It was one thing to imagine a fairy tale, but it was another to compare her brother to an evil monster. He wasn't that bad. He just had a little temper.

She reached her brother's bedroom door and almost opened the door when she heard something from inside the room. She heard the sound of strumming on a guitar, starting soft and then gradually getting louder. She closed her eyes and leaned against the door, listening to her brother.

"Stab me in he back, see what I have left to feel inside. There's nothing here for me, and I have nothing to hide." Squall sang, echoing he last note on the guitar. The distress in his voice was more than obvious. In all of this, Ellone was afraid that maybe her brother had been hurt the mos. She pushed aside her emotions and knocked lightly on the door. There was no answer, so she let herself in to find her brother lying on the bed with an arm over his eyes and his guitar resting across his lap.

"Hey," she said, struggling to keep her voice from wavering.

"hey, Elle." He didn't move. She frowned and moved across the room to sit beside her brother. She tapped his arm with a single finger, signaling that she desired his attention.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" she asked in her big-sisterly fashion.

Squall shrugged. "Nothing."

"Oh, really? So then screaming at your little brother to go to hell is just a new trend? Did I miss the memo?" she asked, trying to humor her brother but he just glared. She frowned again. "What happened? Let's start with that." She prodded him with a finger in the rib cage, attempting to get him to talk. He grunted and pushed her hand away.

"Nothing." He repeated, revealing not a thing.

"I'm your sister, Squall, and I'm here to help you. If you can't trust me, then who can you trust?" Ellone demanded, trying not to be impatient. Her brother, unfortunately, was a very difficult person with a security system around his emotions worse than the country of Esthar.

"Easy. No one." Squall replaced his arm over his eyes, shutting her out.

"You know, I'm just as stubborn as you are, and I'm not leaving until you tell me." She turned her back to him, sitting erect, arms crossed over her chest, one leg over the other. Determination was written all over her face.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Raine knocked on the bedroom door of her youngest son. He appeared moments later, cracking the door just enough to see whom it was then, opening it all the way. Raine smiled warmly at her son.

"Hi, sweetie. Can I come in?" she asked. He nodded and let her enter, returning to his computer at the desk. Raine took a seat on the bed. "We heard a commotion downstairs. What happened?"

Bryce stared at the computer screen and shrugged. "Not much. I just have a spawn of Satan for a brother." He shook his head.

"Now, now. It can't be that bad, now can it?" Raine stood and rested her hands on his shoulders. He didn't look up at her or say anything. "What happened, Bryce?" she gripped his shoulders tightly.

"I think I did something I wasn't supposed to do." He hung his head, victory now no longer so sweet.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ellone and Squall hadn't said anything or moved in ten minutes. The silence was deadly, not to mention seriously annoying. Ellone turned finally and looked at her brother, who met her gaze.

"Are you ready to talk?" Ellone asked.

"Nope." Squall replied with a smirk. Ellone sighed and returned to her previous state.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Raine listened to Bryce explain everything, and she couldn't help but feel that both boys had gotten in way over their heads.

"Do you think I was wrong to ask Rinoa to the Formal, mom?" Bryce asked her. He'd been careful not to mention the plans by both parties and other fine details that his mother would disapprove.

"Sweetheart, all I have to say is: All is fair in love and war." She smiled at Bryce's confusion. "It's silly for you and your bother to fight. I know you two haven't been that close, but you are still family, and more importantly, you're brothers. Try to talk to him when he's bit more calm and see what happens." She patted his shoulder lightly.

"He won't listen. He's too mad." Bryce objected.

"That's why I said talk to him when he isn't fueled by anger. People who are calm can function much more rationally." Raine stood and walked to the door. "But, sweetie, one more thing: Don't let your brother win. You deserve a victory once in a while. Stand up for what you believe in, and don't let anyone take it away from you." She kissed her son on the forehead and opened the door. "Oh, and don't forget to some downstairs and say something to your father." She disappeared out the door, and he heard her footsteps down the stairs.

"dad's home?" Bryce jumped up and ran out and downstairs to find his dad.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ellone was getting sick of this. It was now going on twenty minutes that they had sat in complete silence. They certainly weren't getting anywhere or accomplishing anything. She finally turned to her brother and pulled back his arm so she could see his eyes.

"This is childish! Just tell me what happened, you big stubborn oaf!" she tried not to yell but didn't quite succeed.

"Fine! Fine!" he pulled his arm out of her grasp. "Just don't go all Pyscho Demon on me!" He sat up and placed his guitar gently next to the bed. A long, hard sigh escaped from his lips as he readied himself for the story. Not much had really changed in his mood. He was still extremely angry with his brother.

Ellone was losing what little patience she had left, and his stalling wasn't helping matters. "Well?" she demanded.

"I'm getting there!" Squall snapped. Ellone narrowed her eyes at him, and he looked away. His sister was the only one besides his mother who could strike fear in him. "Bryce crossed a line."

"Oh, I know there's more. Speak!" she commanded sternly. She would not let him get the better of her, and she wouldn't leave until she knew the truth.

Squall glared at his sister before continuing. "Bryce asked my girl to the Winter Formal."

"Oh, so women are an item to be possessed now, are we?" Ellone demanded, completely missing the pint of Squall's anger and irrational behavior.

"You know what I mean!" Squall growled.

"So he asked her. My question is why didn't you?" Ellone crossed her arms over her chest.

Squall realized hat they weren't going to get anywhere unless she knew the whole story. He sighed, knowing that this was going to take a while. "It's a long story…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So that's pretty much the jest of it." Squall said, finishing his story. Ellone's jaw had dropped, and she stared at him with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"You're kidding!" she gasped. Squall shook his head. Ellone stood up and paced around the room before speaking again. "So you mean to tell me that Quistis is trying to set up you with Rinoa while Drag, Zion, and Bryce are attempting to sabotage what she's doing, and Seifer's playing the triple agent by helping you? Oh my Hyne!" she fell back onto the bed and shook her head, dark locks whipping at her pale face.

"Yeah, pretty much." Squall replied. His gaze concentrated on the other end of the room, ignoring her.

"You're all crazy!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Absolutely, without a doubt, completely crazy!"

"If you say so." He muttered, shrugging.

"Does mom know that any of this is going on?" she demanded. Squall shook his head. "I don't believe it!" Squall failed to see what the big deal was but refrained from speaking. Ellone shook her head again and stood. "By all means, carry on, but don't do anything stupid." She headed to the door but stopped. "I was going to say maybe you should try talking to Rinoa, but I sincerely doubt if any amount of talking is going to help." Again, she proceeded to the door, and again, she stopped. "I still stand by what I said before: you are crazy." With that she opened the door and returned up the stairs. She could hear Squall laughing maniacally the whole way. "Crazy fool." She muttered.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The next day at school passed without much event, but it was after school when the trouble started. Squall had been in a sour mood all day, and by the end of the day, he had a few words reserved for a certain person.

He waited in the parking lot, leaning against the car, being more patient than normal. He cracked his knuckles several times and smiled wickedly as his eyes lay on his target. Rinoa appeared out of the school and approached her car. Upon seeing Squall, she smiled.

"Hey!" she called, waving to him. She pulled her jacket closer to her as the cold wind blew harder. When she was close enough to see his expression, she frowned. "What's up?"

"I have a bone to pick with you?" he growled.

Rinoa looked at him strangely. "What is it?" she felt suddenly uneasy.

"Why the hell are you going to the Formal with Bryce?" he demanded, glaring at her.

Rinoa's expression changed as anger flashed across her face. "Why do you care? You're not even going to the Formal."

"I do care because that is wrong on so many levels!" Squall growled.

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's none of your business!" Rinoa snapped. She turned and threw her things into her car. As she attempted to walk back to the school, Squall grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Well, I'm making it my business, and I don't want you to go with him." The jealousy was evident on his face, and he didn't even try to hide it.

"I don't care what you want! I'm going with him, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" She ripped her arm out of his grip and walked away back into the school.

Squall glared at her retreating back as Seifer appeared at his side. "Change of plan." Squall said with the same snarl he had acquired the day before.

"Which would be?" Seifer asked, feeling that this wasn't going to blow over well.

"We're going to the Formal."

"Oh, boy." Seifer sighed, knowing what was coming.

"We're going to crash the Formal!" A smile of pure wickedness appeared as he looked to Seifer, who gulped nervously.

* * *

A/N: AAAHHH! Lol. Were you expecting that? R&R Later Days! 


	16. Bad Luck

So you guys weren't expecting that, were you? Neither was my mom when she read it. (Yes I let my mom read it because she's only the coolest mom ever, and she writes, too.) Just wait for the chapter when they actually crash it. Heh, heh, heh. You might actually hate me. Lol

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, on my honor.

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

**_Chapter Sixteen _**

_"Bad Luck" _

The only thought running through Seifer's mind was, _"What on earth have I done?"_ He was in shock that he had actually agreed to what he had done. Now look at him. He was going to help crash the biggest dance of the year, which could ultimately get him expelled. What would his mother say if he got expelled? She wouldn't say anything. She'd just kill him. There wouldn't be any reason, or need, for words. She'd strangle him, probably, or some other painful punishment, screaming at the top of her lungs, and if for whatever reason she didn't kill him, he'd be grounded until he was forty. Wouldn't that be exciting? He decided it wouldn't by any means be exciting. He could barely stand living with his obsessive-compulsive mother now, let alone for the next twenty years. He shuddered at the mere thought of this.

As Seifer pondered his soon-to-be death and/or sentence, Squall was devising the plan on how they would crash the Formal. Unlike Seifer, he was willing to take the risk of expulsion for revenge, but now, he was unsure of just on whom he was seeking revenge. At first, it had been Quistis, but now it seemed it was between his disowned brother, Bryce and Rinoa. He was angry with both of them and maybe even hated them. Bryce was the reason for his anger while Rinoa was responsible for his disappointment and lack of feeling. He was dead to them, but he was okay with that.

"Do we have to crash the Formal?" Seifer asked. He could see the raging nostrils of his mother's furious face already.

"Are you scared?" Squall looked up from his devious task. "Because if you want to back out, that's fine." Squall no longer cared if he had a partner in crime anymore.

"What happened to this just being a harmless game? When did this get serious?" Seifer asked, confused. He knew that Squall was no longer joking around but was serious and going to base his actions on that seriousness.

"When some people took it too far." Squall answered gruffly. "Are you in or out?" He went back to the previous question that Seifer had skipped.

The blonde sighed. "I'm in, I guess." He answered with some doubt.

"Listen, if you want to back out, I'm okay with that. I can take it all on my own." Squall said to him. He would take all the blame if he had to. It was fine with him.

"No, I'm behind you all the way. Besides, it'll be fun." He said with more confidence this time. "Even if it does get us expelled." He muttered under his breath.

"If that's what you're worried about, then don't go through with it." Squall had heard him. "Besides, I sincerely doubt if we'll get expelled. Suspended, maybe, but not expelled. They're not that harsh here. And who even said we were going to get caught." Squall didn't care which sentence they gave him. Either way, he was going to do his dirty deed, and he wouldn't have any regrets.

Seifer shook his head. "I'm still in, don't worry." He sighed.

"Good." Squall smiled.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Two days left. That's all they had. Two bloody days.

"None of them will do it." Quistis said, throwing the papers of the five bands onto the table. Rinoa handed her the CD she had made for back up with a sad expression.

"I had wanted this to be perfect." She was on the verge of tears. Nothing was going the way she wanted it to lately. They didn't have a band for the Formal, her friends were plotting behind her back, and Squall wasn't speaking to her. She felt like she was headed down to the same Hell that she had once escaped.

"It's okay, Rinoa. It'll still be fun. At least you put more effort into it this year. You have to remember that. You're still very different from the seniors of last year. You care, they didn't." Quistis tried her best to make her friend feel better, but it didn't seem to be working.

Tears swelled in her eyes. "Nothing is going right! What happened to my life?" she dropped her head onto the table. Quistis hugged her, feeling horrible.

"I'm sorry, but hey, it'll get better. I promise. There's nowhere to go but up." She tried to sound optimistic, but it wasn't working. They were doomed to failure.

"I sure hope so. I don't want to be hated." Rinoa's shoulder's shook as she spoke through muffled sobs.

"You won' be, Rinoa! You can't be!" Quistis told her. Rinoa shook her head, but didn't say anything else. She thought about Squall and how the fight was probably the last straw in their friendship. It was going up in flames before her eyes, and nothing could be done to save it.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Gym was decorated perfectly for the Formal. Rose and white lily petals lined the floor over a luscious red carpet. On the stage sat the thrones for the King and Queen with the crown resting on each throne. A DJ booth sat in the upper right corner with speakers on either side. Tables with pink and white tablecloths lined the walls on both sides of the Gym with refreshment tables in the center. Everything was in place and ready. A net, which would be released at he announcement of the King and Queen, was overhead the entire setting, containing rose and lily petals, confetti, and balloons. The entire room was just magical, transformed into a Winter Fantasy, perfect for the dance. It was Friday night, snow was falling outside, and the countdown for the dance had begun.

But trouble was brewing outside behind the school. A pair of cars pulled into the back parking lot, and two guys emerged from the cars, clad in black clothing, and masks hiding their faces. They were each carrying a black duffle bag, here to perform a dirty deed. The two crept through the shadows and the snowflakes to a back door, which miraculously had been left unlocked. Entering the building, they made their way to the Gym silently. The only sounds heard were those of the faint echoes of their feet against the hard tiled floors. They spoke not a word but continued on their way, knowing what was coming.

The Gym was on the other side of the school. It didn't take long for them to trek their way over to he readied Gym. Once inside with the doors shut tightly, the two removed their masks. It was no surprise hat there stood Squall and Seifer. The former had been set on this immoral task, and he would get it done at all costs; Seifer was just along for the ride. He had no real reasons to seek revenge on anyone. He didn't hold a grudge, nor did he feel the need to go all out to get someone back. This was just something to put a little more excitement in his life. He wasn't like Squall. He wasn't driven completely mad by his brother stealing his girl.

"You ready?" Squall asked, sporting a deceitful smile towards his companion.

"As ready as I'm going to be." He returned the smile as best he could, but there were still some fragments of doubt resting in the back of his mind. If hey were to get caught, it could have devastating effects. They could get suspended, even expelled, grounded for life, and possibly charged by the government for breaking and entering. The punishment given to them by their parents would be even worse, though. Who knows what horrid things their parents would do to them if they ever found out what they were about to do. Unfortunately, the stakes were higher than originally thought. There was now more to lose and little to gain.

"The offer still stands if you want to back out." Squall told him, seeing the look of worry hidden in his eyes. He would take all the blame if necessary.

"No, I'm already here. No point in turning back now." Seifer said, sighing. "Now let's get this party started." He laughed.

"Let's hope that's what they're saying tomorrow!" Squall returned his evil smile and grabbed the duffle bag. "Let's do this."

"You bet!" Seifer grabbed his, and they went about their dirty deed.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The two guys finished about an hour later as the clock approached one. They slipped out the same way they came, chuckling to themselves at what they had done. It was a masterpiece, perfect in every way, and would go down in history as one of the best ever.

Before they went to their cars, they exchanged a high-five. Their deed was done, and there was no going back.

Seifer was the first to leave, but Squall remained, staring back at the school. He wasn't having regrets, but there was a hint of worry. He could only imagine how the dance would go tomorrow. The announcing of the King and Queen would trigger the whole event, and some people may not be smiling by the time it was over.

Squall knew that he had to consider the consequences and be prepared for them. He wasn't as worried as Seifer obviously was, but he did have his share of doubts. He was in a clear, collected state of mind, knowing what he was doing. He understood that this would either go well or down in flames. He had nothing to lose anymore, and maybe that was his reasoning for acting to such extremities. All that he had was already lost, and he had nothing left to give up. It was all or nothing now.

He had to consider that maybe this act of revenge wasn't on Bryce, Quistis, or Rinoa but on himself. He couldn't blame others for his misfortunes. He had brought everything on himself. There was no one left to point the finger of blame.

He closed his eyes as a scene appeared before him. His mother was looking at him with disappointment. The principal, too, giving off a look of the same meaning, but the one person whom he knew actually mattered was there. He saw Rinoa's face, saw her staring at him through tears and anger, demanding to know what he had done. He knew that his actions might ultimately hurt her the most. He didn't want to hurt her, but as he had already predetermined, he had nothing left to lose. Not even their friendship remained an issue because it was out of commission now, and there would be nothing left to save it with once this was done. In this case, failure was the only option.

Squall remained there for several more minutes before he finally managed to break away. He walked over to his car and left, but not without one last look back at the school.

"What's done is done, and there's no going back." He spoke only to the falling snow, which twinkled back at him in the pale moonlight.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The next day, the snow fell nonstop, piling up outside. The temperature was 29 degrees Fahrenheit and falling, but the excitement was rising. The dance was only a few hours away and already the magic could be felt. It would be a winter fantasy of spectacular magnitude.

Selphie, Quistis, and Rinoa prepared themselves for their last dance, going all out with everything. They occupied themselves at Rinoa's house, doing hair and makeup and giggling as the hour of magic drew nearer and nearer.

"I just can't wait!" Selphie exclaimed. They had one hour to go before dinner, but they had been ready a long time ago.

"Yeah, it's going to be perfect!" Quistis agreed. She had been forced to give up on the matchmaking game when Rinoa confronted her and explained that she had squall had known all along. She also told her that she and Squall were no longer friends and that there was no point in trying to put them together anymore. Quistis decided only to abandon her project until next semester when The Formal had been long forgotten.

"Let's hope so." Rinoa said, still filled with doubt. She was afraid that everyone would like the no band factor, and she also didn't trust Squall. She was still convinced that he had something up his sleeve, but she didn't know what. Actually, for all she knew, he could've been bluffing.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine." Quistis reassured the doubtful girl.

"Yeah, I hope." Rinoa repeated. She couldn't hide her doubt; there was just too much of it.

"Lighten up, and at least try to have fun. The more optimistic you are, the better it will be." Selphie said with encouragement. Rinoa wasn't being very optimistic, and that worried both Selphie and Quistis.

"I know, but I can't help it. I've got this bad feeling that something bad is going to happen tonight. I don't know how or why, but I can't help it. It's still bugging me." She frowned and shrugged, both contradicting her emotions.

"Nothing bad will happen if you sop thinking that way. Think positively. It's important. This is our last dance; we should make sure it's memorable." Quistis stated firmly, ending the discussion.

But Rinoa couldn't stop thinking about it. She knew it would be memorable, but she was afraid it would be memorable for all the wrong reasons. She frowned again. Maybe she was just paranoid. Maybe she was just overreacting. She looked at Selphie and Quistis chattering away as they did each other's nails. They seemed carefree enough, but then again, hey didn't have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. If the Formal bombed, they wouldn't get reamed for it, but she would. She would be the single most hated person, but if she was going down, she'd be taking someone down with her. She didn't want to have to take the blame by herself, especially it if wasn't her fault.

"Rinny!" Selphie exclaimed, making the raven-haired girl look up from where she had been staring at the table. "Stop thinking about it! Everything will be fine if you just stop thinking about it!"

All Rinoa could do was nod. Her voice had stopped working, and her mouth wasn't going to open anyway. She kept nodding slowly and solemnly as her eyes drifted back to the table. Shivers ran up and down her spine, and chill bumps appeared on her arms. The room was overly warm, but she was freezing. Thoughts of skipping crossed her mind, but she couldn't do that. She had to go and at least _try_ to have a little fun. This was her last year, last dance, and she had to go. Deciding not to just because of a hunch was ridiculous, and she knew it. She'd push through the doubt no matter how bad it was.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall woke up at a few minutes after noon to the sound of someone banging his door down. He'd gotten back home at quarter to two that morning, but he didn't fall asleep until nearly dawn. He had too much on his mind to do anything, let alone sleep, but somehow, he'd managed to drift off into an uneasy, disturbed sleep.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" he called groggily from his bed, but the banging didn't stop. "I said I'm coming!" he yelled, losing his temper. Rubbing his temples together in aggravation, he swung open the door to find his sister standing there, holding a freshly dry-cleaned suit. "Can I help you?"

"Aren't you going to get ready?" she asked holding up the suit higher as a clue.

"Ready for what?" He fought a yawn, but it escaped anyway. He leaned his head against the doorway, trying to keep his eyes open.

"Uh, the Winter Formal! Did you forget?" Again, she raised the suit. In her other hand, she held a boutonnière of a red rose, freshly cut.

"I'm not going." He yawned again and moved to close the door, but Ellone stuck her foot in to stop it.

"Oh, yes, you are!" she said, threateningly. Her eyes grew dark as she glared at him. He shrugged again and opened the door back up again. "If you're planning on crashing this thing, then you're going." She shoved the suit into his hands and forced both of them into the room.

"Listen, Elle, I have no business there. I'm not going." He repeated firmly, stating his point.

Ellone raised a menacing eyebrow. "Oh, really?" she countered. Squall didn't like the look on her face and swallowed nervously. Did he ever mention that his sister was the only one who had the power to intimidate him? If not, let it be known now.

Ellone took a step to her brother, narrowing her dark eyes on him coldly. "Do you really want to fight with me because I will win." He neither did nor said nothing. "Now get ready!"

"Elle, I don't…" he tried to say something in his own defense, but he barely got three words out.

"NOW!" she boomed, becoming scarier than he thought she could even get.

"All right!" he threw his hands up in defeat. "All right. Chill, okay." She continued to glare at him.

"You have ten minutes." Ellone turned on her heels and headed back up the stairs, slamming the door behind her on her way out.

Squall looked down at the suit and back to the door with wide eyes. "And Bryce called me Satan's spawn."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ellone traveled up the stairs back into the main section of the house. She found Drag sitting at the kitchen table in a white dress shirt, dress pants, tie, and vest eating the remains of a cold pizza. Ellone frowned. Her family had her so confused. If it were her, she would've started preening the moment she woke up- five hours ago.

"Don't get anything on that shirt. There's no time to bleach it." She warned him, passing through to find her parents and the rest of her estranged family. Drag just rolled his eyes at her and stuffed the half slice in his hand into his mouth.

She continued to the den across the hall where she found Zion. He was half asleep on the leather couch, wrinkling his suit. The TV was on displaying the Peanuts Christmas Special. Ellone turned off the TV and smacked Zion with a pillow, waking him. "Come on, get up!" she said, hitting him again. He groaned and obliged, well, only until she left the room.

As Ellone patrolled the house, making sure that everyone was ready for tonight's dance, Bryce crept downstairs, through the kitchen, and to the basement to his brother's bedroom. He knew that he was risking a lot doing this (namely his life and limb), but it had to be done. He moved down the stairs, keeping hi eyes focused on the light under the door. He knocked nervously, afraid of how his brother would act.

"That wasn't even close to ten minutes!" he heard him yell, followed by footsteps. The door opened, and Squall was in his dress shirt and pants, attempting to button his sleeve. He looked shocked to see Bryce, but stepped aside to allow him to enter the room. He looked at his brother in confusion now as he pointed to his casual clothes. "Why aren't you dressed?"

"I'm not going." Bryce replied, looking away shamefully.

Squall hid a smile. "Don't let Elle hear you say that. Why not?" he grabbed the black vest from off his bed and proceeded to put that on.

Bryce shrugged. "I don't think I should." He wouldn't make eye contact with his brother.

"If you want to go, then go." Squall grabbed the jacket, completing his snazzy outfit.

"But I don't think I should, and I don't know if I want to or not anymore." Bryce flopped down onto the bed and sighed.

Squall eyed his brother suspiciously and waited patiently for him to explain. Bryce met his questioning look nervously. He had expected his brother to still be mad at him, but so far there had been no hostilities. He didn't want to bring up the subject, but he had already determined that they needed to find a common ground. All this fighting was ridiculous.

"It's my fault you and Rinoa aren't friends anymore. If I hadn't asked her, then you wouldn't have gotten so mad at me." Bryce frowned at himself and spoke quietly.

Squall shook his head. "No, it's not your fault. Our friendship was having issues of its own. You didn't do anything that caused problems, so don't worry about it."

"But it is! So I've come to compromise!" he choked on the last word.

"Compromise? How?" Squall wasn't sure if he liked where this conversation was going. What was Bryce planning?

"I want you to go with Rinoa to the Formal." Bryce kept his voice low. Squall crossed his arms over his chest and looked at him strangely. "I know you and Rinoa like each other, and I'm not mocking you this time. You guys are really close, but you both act like you hate each other. You keep your feelings at a minimum, both of you do. Why do you think Quistis wants to set you two up so badly?" Bryce demanded. His eyes suddenly grew wide as he realized what he had just done.

"It's okay. I already knew." Squall waved Bryce on to continue.

"Do you think you're not obvious because you are. We all know you like each other, so why are you trying to hide it? I know you well enough that when you want something, you go after it no matter what the costs. So why not now?" Bryce raised his voice slightly with a newfound confidence. He was standing up to his brother in way that he had never done before. He had a mission, and he knew that it had to get done no matter what. He had to do whatever necessary to make this work.

But Squall wasn't convinced that this was an act of a guilty conscience or the kindness of Bryce's heart. He knew something was up, and it wasn't the paranoia in him acting up either. He was 99 percent sure that his _good, wonderful_ little brother had something up his sleeve. The only trouble was figuring out what it was. He could try to figure it out or he could be blunt about it.

"What is going on here?" Squall demanded, settling for the latter and narrowing his eyes on Bryce. He knew better than to trust him or take what he had to say for face value only.

But Bryce was more than appalled. "Why are you always so suspicious? For once, why can't you take me seriously?" he demanded harshly, his face growing hot with anger.

"Because most of the time you never give me any reason to." Squall retorted. He kept his face void or expression and feelings moderately calm.

"Well, I'm giving you a reason now." Bryce frowned at his older brother. "I'm being completely honest with you. I think you should go to the Winter Formal with Rinoa instead of me going with her."

"But you asked her, and she said yes. Remember? You can't just give up your date without a valid reason or her consent." Squall countered. As much as he would like to go to the Formal with Rinoa, he couldn't.

"I have a valid reason!" Bryce's face was getting hotter and hotter as the anger in him continued to fill.

"Which is?" Squall asked. He was nothing short of toying with him now.

"I already gave you that!" he yelled. Bryce took several steps to his brother, getting in his face as he spoke again. "Either you go in my place with Rinoa or she goes with no date because I'm not going." He said threateningly.

"So you're going to stand Rinoa up? That's low, Bryce. That's real low." He narrowed his eyes on him again.

"What's it going to be, brother?" Bryce asked.

Squall said nothing but his eyes gave it all away. He looked to the door nervously as he tried to make his decision. There was evident uncertainty residing behind his steel blue eyes.

"Squall! Come on! Pictures!" Ellone's voice was heard from the top of the stairs.

"Make your choice now." Bryce ordered. "You don't have anymore time."

"Fine." Squall growled. He headed to the door. "But you are so dead when I get back." He opened the door and hurried up the stairs. Bryce followed moments later after a quick victory dance. Battle number 2-won!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Selphie, Quistis, Rinoa, and the rough captain of the Cheerleading Squad, Summer, were all waiting outside the best restaurant in town for their dates to finally grace them with their presence.

"Okay, someone needs to redefine fashionably late." Quistis said in complete aggravation. She shivered in the cold winter air. They stood beneath the canopy to avoid getting wet by the falling snow.

"Maybe we should go inside and wait." Selphie suggested. She was freezing to death- literally.

"There they are!" Summer exclaimed, pointing as two cars pulled into the parking lot.

Both Rinoa and Quistis' jaws dropped when they saw two of the guys approaching them with Drag and Zion. Squall and Seifer, whom both had said they weren't going to be anywhere near the Formal, were all dished out in their best black and white suits, looking good.

"What on earth…?" Rinoa started, but she was ushered inside with everyone else out of the cold.

At the table, the guys gave the girls their corsages, and dinner began. Rinoa looked at Squall with confusion.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Bryce couldn't make it and asked me to go in his place." Squall replied, not making eye contact with Rinoa. Instead, he focused on the menu and spoke in the same nonchalant tone.

"Nice replacement!" Summer whispered to Rinoa with a wink as she shifted closer to Drag who was deep in conversation with Seifer. Rinoa continued to look at Squall with a puzzled expression.

"Why couldn't he make it?" she asked, afraid that maybe Squall had something to do with it.

"He's sick." Seifer answered, seeing Squall's facial expression. He had heard the whole story on the way up to the restaurant.

"Aww! Poor Bryce!" Selphie exclaimed while Zion rolled his eyes. "He's going to miss the biggest dance of the year!"

Squall nearly choked on his soda as he heard Selphie say this. He coughed, trying to breathe again as he and Seifer exchanged glances.

"Yeah, poor Bryce." Rinoa agreed weakly, her voice filled with suspicion as she watched Squall. She hadn't seen the look, but she still didn't trust his intentions.

The rest of dinner was set in silence between Squall and Rinoa while everyone else was deep in conversation. Rinoa was suspicious of Squall who was unsure of what he was supposed to be doing. He kept thinking that Bryce had this whole thing planned all along, which would mean he used Rinoa, and that pissed off Squall. But he also had to consider that there was a chance that Bryce was really being truthful. It was slim at best, but he had to consider that option.

Before they left the restaurant parking lot to go to the school, Squall pulled Rinoa aside and spoke to her.

"Listen, I know this isn't what you were expecting, but let's make the most of it. Okay?" Squall said genuinely.

"You're right. I wasn't expecting this, but I'm okay with it. Well, only if you are." she looked away in embarrassment, cheeks turning red.

"Yeah," and he broke away to his car while Rinoa went to join Selphie, Quistis, and Summer.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

They entered the Gym together, all of them experiencing the magic within. Music was playing and everyone was all smiled. A great burden was lifted from Rinoa's shoulders as people passed her and congratulated her on the success of the dance thus far.

But a hard lump had formed in Squall's throat as his eyes glanced overhead to the net. He was beginning to have a bad feeling about this, not to mention serious regrets. He had told himself that he wouldn't have any regrets, but he was sure having them now. He used Rinoa's distraction to pull Seifer aside and talk to him. He barely got two words out before Quistis whisked Seifer away for a dance. He looked to Squall apologetically as he was dragged to the dance floor. Squall cursed beneath his breath. He needed to talk to Seifer. It was way too important, and it needed to be done before the announcing of the King and Queen.

"What are you doing?" He heard a soft voice behind him and turned to see Rinoa there, smiling curiously.

It was then that he actually got a good look at Rinoa. She finally removed her coat and underneath, she wore a floor-length cream colored dress with white lace covering the bodice and clinging to slim body. She was gorgeous with her hair slightly curled and curved around her face. He knew his jaw had dropped to the floor, but he didn't care. She was absolutely beautiful.

"What?" Rinoa asked, titling her head.

"Oh, fuck!" he whispered, shaking his head and looking away. The guilt was getting to him at maximizing speeds.

"Are you okay?" she asked, touching his arms gently.

"Fine. Nothing. It's nothing." He said quickly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to he dance floor. "Let's dance."

They walked to the dance floor as an upbeat song began. The entire student body was on the floor, getting their groove on. Squall's purpose for this was to look for Seifer. He needed to talk to him! As the dance continued, Squall eventually found Seifer. He and Quistis were getting into it, obviously having fun.

When they go within earshot, Squall called to Seifer, "About mission! Abort mission!" Seifer looked back to him in confusion. No one around them was even remotely paying attention to what they were saying. Someone else had grabbed Rinoa's attention in his arms, and she was concentrating on them.

"What? Why?" Seifer asked, moving him and Quistis closer.

There was an increase in tempo in the song, and Squall and Seifer, somehow, managed to twirl the two girls and exchange partners. Rinoa and Quistis looked at each other in confusion as they somehow ended up dancing together.

"Something is not right here." Rinoa said to Quistis who nodded. They stopped and watched the tow guys in shock. Just the thought of Squall and Seifer dancing together was funny if not weird; and yet, kinky.

"We can't let them do it!" Squall told Seifer.

"Why?" Seifer demanded.

"Because it's wrong!" Squall exclaimed.

"Oh, so _now_ you're having doubts! Well done!" Seifer said sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, at least I've realized it's wrong!" Squall countered in mock anger.

Another quick beat in the song put the partners back together, and Rinoa looked at Squall strangely who shrugged.

"What was that all about?" she asked as the song ended.

"Nothing just had to clear something up with Seifer." Squall replied as they moved off he dance floor.

"Uh-huh." Rinoa nodded her head, but Squall knew she didn't believe him.

Squall and Rinoa walked over to a table as another quick song began to play. Rinoa was still looking at Squall in confusion, and Squall knew he had to get her mind onto something else to save his own skin.

"Hey, Rin. This place looks great." Squall leaned in and whispered to her.

"Thanks. I worked really hard to make this _perfect_." She replied with a smile, stressing the fact that she had put a lot of time into this dance. She knew he had to be up to something. Why else would he even be here? There was a reasonable explanation for everything, but so far, she was lacking one for this particular event. There was a cloud of suspicion surrounding him, but that's all she had. And that was exactly why she wasn't going to let Squall out of her sight. If he was up to something, she was going to find out what it was before it could be performed and ruin all her hard work.

"What/" Squall asked. She didn't realize that, as she pondered these thoughts, she was glaring at him. She shook herself out of her own self-induced trance.

"Oh! Sorry! I was just thinking about something." She grinned apologetically at him, excusing her erratic behavior.

"What were you thinking about?' he asked, leaning in even closer and slipping his arm around her shoulders as the corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile.

"Nothing. It's not important." She whispered with a mischievous smile. She looked into his eyes and momentarily forgot hat she was suspicious of him.

"Aww! Ain't that sweet!" Drag's loud voice was heard followed by a giggle from Summer.

"It sure is!" she exclaimed.

Rinoa and Squall both cringed as another nearly perfect moment was ruined. This was certainly becoming an undesired routine. They moved away from each other to show their sudden discomfort.

"Hey, why aren't you two out there having fun like the rest of us?" Drag demanded, joining them at the table. He grabbed Summer's hips and pulled her onto his lap. She smiled.

Squall said nothing but kept his silence. There was a certain person among them that he held a strong dislike for. Drag and Summer had this fling going on since about October, and Squall was against it. He didn't like cheerleaders, and he didn't like Summer. She was a punk. And he believed that punk and cheerleader did not mix. It also didn't help that she had Drag wrapped around her finger.

"I juts want to watch for a while." Rinoa said with a smile. She was proud of herself, and she was going to openly admit it. "But he can do whatever he wants." She titled her head in Squall's direction, who sat with his arms over his chest, obviously sulking.

"Well, in that case, hey, Squall! You up for a dance?" Summer asked smugly from Drag's lap.

"No," Squall muttered harshly, glaring at him. Drag smiled, understanding Squall's undying hate for the chick in his lap. But Summer just laughed.

"Come on, Drag! Let's leave these two bums to themselves!" Summer jumped up and pulled Drag with her. She grinned to Rinoa and headed to the dance floor with Drag in hand behind her.

"You're mean, do you know that?" Rinoa asked, smiling at Squall, who had lightened up as soon as Summer had left them.

"I hate that chick!" he growled, glaring at her still, dancing with his cousin. "She does this stuff just to piss me off!"

"And I reiterate." She smiled again. She turned her attention back to the dancing people. Everyone was so happy, which filled her with delight and accomplishment.

Squall felt that lump in his throat return as he scanned the walls of the Gym for a clock. He finally found one above the stage. Only one hour left before the announcing of the King and Queen. He had to remain on his toes as that fated time drew closer. He had to be ready to stop it.

"Are you that disgusted to be here that you can't for it to be over?" Rinoa asked, watching him stare at the clock, her voice full of hurt.

"What? No!" he said quickly. "I just left my phone in the car. I want to be here, Rin. I'm having fun."

"Okay," she said weakly, returning her attention to everyone else. Squall scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm each around her slender waist and shoulders.

"I'm here with you. That's all I need." He whispered in her ear. He placed a small kiss on her exposed shoulder. She turned her head to him and smiled, mouthing thanks to him. Squall could only hope that she would still be smiling in an hour.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa eventually became tired of sitting at the table watching everyone else have all the fun. Granted, she was enjoying being wrapped in Squall's arms, but she needed to get up and stretch her legs.

"Hey," she whispered to him. He had his chin rested on her shoulder, eyes closed, and nearly drifting to sleep.

"Hmm?"

"Let's go dance." She moved, much to the disappointment of Squall. She forced him onto his feet and to the dance floor.

They danced to a couple of fast songs with their friends, but then, as the announcement was drawing near, a slow song started. Squall pulled Rinoa closer to him, enjoying the moment to be nearer to her.

"Are you really enjoying yourself?" she asked, whispering in his ear as their bodies swayed gently to the music.

"Absolutely," Squall answered with a small smile. He hadn't looked at the clock since the first song when they returned to the dance floor. He had definitely lost track of time, which was not good.

"I'm glad, you know," she whispered. "I had hoped you would ask me to the Formal, but you never did."

He pulled away slightly to look in her face. "Really?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, fighting embarrassment.

He said nothing more but laughed. As he leaned in to kiss her, the song ended, and a voice was heard from the stage.

Quistis was standing on the stage with a microphone in hand. "Excuse me! HEY!" she yelled, not needing the microphone to get everyone's attention. She smiled smugly upon seeing that all eyes were finally on her.

Squall looked to Seifer in shook who shrugged hopelessly. Squall made an expression that reminded him of the disaster they had to stop.

"It's that time! Time to announce the Winter Formal King and Queen!" Quistis said excitedly. "You voted, and those votes are in!"

People cheered happily as someone handed Quistis the first envelope.

"And your Winter Formal Queen is," Quistis gracefully ripped open the envelope and cast it aside. "Rinoa Heartilly!"

There were whistles, act calls, and claps as Rinoa broke from Squall's arms and headed to the stage in all smiled. Quistis placed the crown on her head and handed her the bouquet of red roses, and Rinoa stood in front of her throne, waiting for the King.

"And the King is," This time, she took greater care and opened the new envelope slowly. She laughed before speaking as she read the winner. "Squall Leonhart!"

Squall's eyes became very wide, and he stood there for a few seconds until Drag and Zion pushed him forward, forcing him to walk. He proceeded slowly to the stage and up the stairs to Rinoa and Quistis as people cheered again and patted him on the back. Both girls placed the crown on his head, which he accepted reluctantly. The traditional fanfare played as the two took their seats, but not for long.

Squall saw someone move toward the string that held up the net. He jumped to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs, "No!"

Seifer ran across the Gym and dove, arms stretched out like Superman and threw the guy to the floor before he could pull the string.

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor Fitzgerald demanded as Seifer let out a sigh of brief relief. He didn't see the other person return to his feet and pull the string, releasing the net.

The echoes of Squall's, "NOOO!" were heard again as Rinoa looked up to see the net- and its contents- come down towards her and everyone else within the Gym.

* * *

A/N: And now I leave you with suspense. (Proclaims evil laugh here) R&R. Later Days! 


	17. Prelude To Disastor

Okay, because I have to be evil (it's in my nature) I'm going to put in a chapter that will seem very strange. You can interpret it however you please, but you don't actually have to read it. This chapter deals with emotions on another level. Those of you who read Time Goes On with understand the basis of this chapter. It's similar to Time Goes On, but this one is much more deep. I'll put the key at the end with the Author Notes.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with Final Fantasy VIII.

**_Life Less Ordinary_******

****

**_Chapter Seventeen_**

_"Prelude To Disaster"_

_Could anything possibly get any worse?_ That seemed to be the ultimate question of everything now. It was evident that the single worst thing in the world had happened, and nothing could be done to stop its destruction. It was falling apart at the seams, thread by thread, unraveling into a gigantic mess.

All the hard work, all the time, was now wasted, put into a vain of worthless effort. Was there a point anymore? The answer to that seemed to be no. Anger was evident, glowing red behind a black background, streaming in as splattered spots of red paint onto a canvas forcibly to see what type of picture it would make. It was dominant by any means, but there was also a hint of yellow happiness and enjoyment that began to flow onto this canvas of mixed emotions. How could happiness, let alone enjoyment, be present in this?

That seemed to be a tough question to answer. Logic appeared to be the only way to find out, but logic seemed to be the one thing missing in this colorful puzzle. Everything was black with doubt, but the red anger was increasing its number with yellow floating gaily along the sides. Fragments of pink began to filter their way in, adding to the flavor of this odd canvas. These fragments scurried around, filling in the spaces between the red and yellow, outnumbering both. The question arose to wonder why excitement would be present, which went along right next to happiness and enjoyment. It would appear that this canvas was experiencing the effect of different colors occupying its space. What would come next?

The pink of excitement was the liveliest, sprinting all over the canvas at high speed, driving the curiosity to dangerous levels, but another was disrupting the attention from the pink fragments that had stolen it away in the first place. A thin strand of blue began to weave slowly throughout the other colors, calming everything else. It moved like a snake, slithering across a watery earth in grace and balance. All attention moved to it, wondering its nature. Its movement and rhythm told one what it stood for- sadness. The hurt had finally entered the canvas of doubt, projecting its more important presence above the others. Sad eyes with increased sympathies watched it. Its color faded in and out as if it struggled to be there, proving its existence. It circled around all the colors, weaving over every inch of the black canvas before finally coiling up in a corner of the canvas, isolating itself from the rest, cowering in its own pity.

All eyes and attention remained on the blue coil of sadness that shook slightly in its corner while everything else moved back up to speed. There was a distinct difference between the colors occupying the main section of the black canvas and the blue huddled up in the corner.

But in all the colors and emotions, the red anger had taken complete dominance representing the furiousness of the whole situation. It began to swallow everything else, devouring it like the Giant Blob taking a rampage through a crowded, busy city.

A question arose among the chaos. _Where was the logic and reason in all this?_ Where was the white light of purity to cast a friendly shadow of knowledge and make everything instantly better?

But there was no answer. There was no sign of reason or logic among the rubble mess of the displayed colors. It was doubtful that it would even make an entrance at all. Could it be that logic and reason were both gone? Possibly for good? If logic and reason left, then hope would soon after follow. The presence of all three would certainly be relieving if not necessary.

But anger wiped out everything else, forcing the merging of black and red. The logic and reason was now gone, possible not to even appear. A top had finally blown upon realizing what had happened, causing the creation of a new color: the green of guilt. Sorrow was mixed in there somewhere, hiding behind the visuals of black, red, and green. They swirled together in a tie-dyed fashion, attempting to cancel each other out.

All three fought in an epic, odd battle until finally breaking free of the canvas and spilling into the nothingness that surrounded it. Now all colors lay out in a great pile of black, red, green, yellow, pink, and blue. What would become of them now?

They merged together by an unknown force, resulting in a color that never should be created out of so many. It swallowed itself in and out until nothing was left of it but its own blinding reflection.

Then white of logic, purity, and reason was destroying itself to preserve the order of the colors and their emotions.

* * *

A/N: As I stated before, this is something of a nonsense chapter that won't mean anything of relative importance for another chapter or so. The colors mentioned had corresponding emotions, which I said I would put down here: red-anger; black-doubt; green-guilt; pink-excitement; yellow-happiness/enjoyment; and blue-sad. If you can figure out what the whole thing stands for before I explain later, then good for you. This is just as the title stated: A prelude to disaster. R&R and Later Days!


	18. Going Too Far

So, have you all been dying of curiosity yet? Ha! I try. And I know you guys enjoy it. Hopefully. Well, here's another exciting update. "Exciting" being the hopeful word in this sentence.

Disclaimer: Don't own FF8. Ask someone else.

**_Life Less Ordinary _**

**__**

**_Chapter Eighteen _**

****

_"Going Too Far" _

The sounds of angry adult voices could be heard even through the thick door that separated the Principal from the two guys waiting for their turn. They spoke not a word between them but sat in an uneasy silence, trying to block out the yelling that they knew was supposed to be soon directed at them. They knew the punishment would come soon, but it wasn't the Principal that they feared.

Squall and Seifer sat on a bench outside the Principal's office. They were both sitting, heads bent, soaking wet and covered in unpleasant substances. They were, indeed, a sorry sight. Squall had loosened his tie and kept running his fingers through his wet, unruly hair, picking out bits of oatmeal. He tried to block out the sounds of the Principal and his mother and father. He'd never heard his dad lose his temper before, so he knew he was in deep trouble this time.

Seifer could hear his mother, too. Luckily for him, his father was still on duty in Centra; although the situation wasn't much better for him with his mother. He bark and her bite were just as bad.

"Never in all my years of teaching have I ever had two students purposely disrupt a school tradition! This is an outrage! Those boys are risking breaking and entering charges, not to mention detention for the rest of the year and possibly expulsion from this school!" The Principal's livid voice was heard.

Squall knew that he couldn't let Seifer go down with him. This had been his own mindless obsession, and Seifer had nothing to do with the planning of it, and he had conned him into helping him in the first place. He knew Seifer had never really wanted anything to do with the whole project, and so Squall had to take the heat by himself.

"Oh, please! This was just a harmless senior prank! The boys meant no actual harm!" Seifer's mother could be heard, her voice shrill. "Surely you understand a senior prank?"

"Senior prank?" The Principal boomed. "This was no act of a senior prank! This was the act of two rouge delinquents!"

"My son may have made some bad choices, but he is no delinquent!" Laguna exclaimed. The sound of a fist slamming onto a hard surface echoed out to the two guys. Squall shook his head. He didn't want his parents to defend him; he wanted to take his punishment that he knew he so clearly deserved.

"He acted as a delinquent, Mr. Loire! This was more than a bad choice!" The Principal retaliated. "And concerning previous records on both your children, I believe the fault of this whole incident may rest on your shoulders!"

"I may have duties, but my boys are responsible and respectful!" Laguna was getting louder and angrier by the second. "I run a country, _Mr. Principal_, but I still take time to raise my children right. I expect you could do better?"

Seifer looked up to the clock above the secretary's empty desk. It said 11:45 pm. They'd been in there for nearly 2 hours, and it wasn't looking good for either of them thus far. He looked to Squall who sat bent over, continuously running his fingers through his hair. No matter how badly he wanted to, he couldn't blame Squall for this. He was his best friend, and friends stick together to the end, no matter what.

"The actions of these boys were not respectable or responsible! I am beside myself to believe that two students could do something so completely heinous!" The Principal's voice went muffled for a moment or two, and Squall and Seifer both had to strain to hear.

"Sir, I understand that you may be upset, but you must understand, they're boys and not to mention teenagers. They don't think about the consequences that their actions might bring. I'm sure it was meant, as Mrs. Almasy stated, as nothing more than a harmless senior prank." Raine spoke for the first time, calmly and peacefully, attempting to settle down the other three.

"Mrs. Loire this goes well beyond the label of a harmless senior prank. What am I supposed to tell the other parents who's children were affected by the misconduct of these two?" the Principal demanded. "The parents will want to see some initiative taken, and I imagine most will request to see these two boys punished severely, and I'm talking full expulsion from the school." He had lowered his angry tone down somewhat, but the emotion still lingered.

"I think expulsion is taking this way too far!" Seifer's mother exclaimed. They could se her shadow move to the door with her hand at her head and an arm over her chest.

"And what about what they did? Wasn't that taking it too far?" The Principal asked.

"Maybe we should hear it from the boys. Maybe they had a valid reason for their actions." Raine suggested.

"There is no possible way that anyone could have a valid reason for this." The Principal's voice suddenly got closer.

Seifer watched the movement through the clouded glass. The big, bold letters of "Principal" blocked some of his view. All he could see was four adult figures. One was pacing the room, coming in and out of focus. He was able to label that one as Squall's dad, Laguna. His body language, although not very clear, told Seifer enough that he knew he was tense and angry. Another figure was standing beside the evident figure of his mother, and Seifer knew that to be Squall's mother. The Principal was closest to the door, occasionally moving and blocking Seifer's vision. He kept glancing at the clock, wondering when the principal would be handing them their inevitable punishment.

"I'm sorry, Seifer." Squall whispered, never looking up as he spoke. He kept his head bent, hiding his face. "I never should've gotten you involved in this. I took it too far. I got too competitive, and I dragged you down with me. I'm sorry." Squall shook his head, throwing droplets of water and ink onto the floor below him.

"No," Seifer shook his head. "It's okay. I went along with you because I wanted to. You're not to blame, so don't worry. Let's just hope they go easy on us."

But Squall still couldn't get rid of his guilt. He'd pulled Seifer into a sinister conspiracy that had ended in ruins. Squall knew he was the one to blame here, despite what Seifer said. He had to take responsibility for this. He'd made plenty of mistakes in the past that nobody had caught that had all been blamed on some innocent person who'd just happened to be at the wrong place and the wrong time. This time, it was all him, and he new it. He couldn't let another victim take all the blame for his own stupidity.

Squall knew that he had to do something. He couldn't let Seifer go down with him. It wasn't his fault that they were in trouble. Squall had planned this, set it up, and executed it, dragging in Seifer. He wouldn't let Seifer get involved anymore. He was his best friend and he had to protect him, even if that meant to sacrifice himself.

Squall's thought and Seifer's solitude was both interrupted by the Principal's door opening. Principal Cid Kramer, a short, stout man with a big nose and big glasses resting on it. He was balding on top and had a wrinkling face. He dressed professionally and tackily in black dress pants, whit dress shirt, and a checkered red sweater vest. His face was stern, glaring at the boys in disappointment and anger.

"Boys, we're ready to see you." He pointed to the office.

Squall and Seifer slowly trudged into the office, knowing what was to come. The Principal followed them in, closing the door behind him. He gestured to the two chairs that rested in front of the desk and turned his back to the two.

Seifer saw the look on his mother's face and instantly prayed that the Principal would go easy on them. He wasn't ready to die yet. He still had his whole life to live, but he was beginning to fear that wasn't going to be an option. He took his seat and waited for the storm to come.

As Squall sat down, he made an extra effort to ignore his parents. He knew they were upset and disappointed in him. He didn't want them to stick up for him, and he didn't want them to forgive him just yet. He deserved his punishment and the resentment that went along with it.

A sigh escaped from Seifer's mother, and Squall felt a movement behind him as two strong hands gripped his shoulders. He recognized it as his dad but said nothing. He allowed the grip to be there only for now. He still believed in his guilt and his punishment.

"Boys," The Principal started, still keeping his back to the two now labeled "delinquents." Seifer squirmed in his seat, hoping this would end quickly, but Squall sat as rigid as stone, waiting patiently. Somehow Squall had managed to remain calm, staring forward with little or no care. "I must say that I am disappointed in your behavior tonight. I have never had two students go to such extremities as you have gone. If there is a reason behind your actions, I would like to know. It may help to lessen your sentence." He finally turned to them with a grave expression.

Seifer found that he couldn't speak and dropped his eyes to the floor. He remained mute and ashamed, but again, Squall had turned into the brave hero, facing his enemy head on with no regrets. Well, at least that's what he showed on the outside. He kept his emotions bottled up inside and refused to let them show.

Principal Kramer waited for an answer from either of them, but so far, nothing had come. They both remained silent, much to his annoyance. He glanced up to the parents. Mrs. Almasy was standing behind her son with and arm over her chest and the other up to her mouth. A closer look told him she was biting her nails. Mrs. Loire stood in the back, wearing the same expression as her son, revealing nothing. President Loire stood close behind Squall, gripping his son's shoulders tightly and staring at the Principal with cold eyes as if this whole thing were his fault.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me." He said, returning his attention to the two. "You should tell me any reason you had to do this heinous task."

"We heard you." Squall whispered, speaking for the first time, but then he said nothing more.

"Well?" The Principal asked, running low on patience.

"Revenge," Squall said after a few moments.

The Principal's jaw dropped. "Revenge?" He demanded. "What in Hyne's name could revenge have anything to do with the destroying of a major school tradition?" He tried to avoid yelling, but he was beyond trying to remain calm.

Squall knew, even though it was true, he had chosen a word to give as a reason. He dropped his eyes to the floor, breaking his mask of expressionless calm. He felt the grip from his father's hands tighten considerably, almost painfully.

"Mr. Leonhart, I demand that you explain to me how revenge had anything to do with this!" He leaned over the desk, getting closer to Squall. His face was flaring now, angrier than he had expected himself to be. Squall remained in his silence, staring at the floor.

"Mr. Leonhart!" The Principal said louder.

Squall shook his head. "It would be easier to explain them whole thing." He said quietly. He'd lost his composure and was shaking slightly. Laguna glanced down at his son with sympathy, which if Squall had seen, would have disapproved.

"Then, by all means, Mr. Leonhart, proceed." The Principal waved his hand to emphasize that Squall should continue. "Let's hear this riveting tale."

Squall looked up to Seifer, who was doing the same thing. His blonde head was bent and his eyes were glued to the floor. He turned his gaze to the waiting Principal and sighed. He had to make a correction to this before he told the Principal anything about the Formal. With Seifer's silence, he knew he may be able to make this declaration uninterrupted.

"Before I say anything about this, sir, there's something that needs to be made clear." Squalls aid, raising his voice slightly. He had found a temporary confidence to use before he finally lost all control, but this needed to be done, and he knew that and could accept it.

"Oh, and what is that?" The Principal demanded. This discussion had not yet gone in any direction that he had wished.

Squall glanced briefly to Seifer, who remained in the same position, before returning to the Principal. "Seifer had nothing to do with this. I did it all. He's innocent." He spoke the words loudly and clearly to make his point. Since being out in the hall and having the chance to think, he'd been set on this. He wouldn't allow Seifer to go down with him this time.

"Excuse me?" The Principal asked as Seifer looked up for the first time.

"He had nothing to do with this. It was all my idea. I deserve all the blame." Squall didn't back down from his position despite the shocked look on Seifer's face. He stared up at the Principal in determination.

"Well," the Principal managed out after a moment of silence." Well, we'll see who is deserving of blame once the whole story is told." Squall only nodded. Seifer was still staring at his buddy in shock. "So I advise that you start from the beginning, gentlemen."

Squall nodded again and took the initiative to be the one who spoke. "The whole thing started about three weeks ago…"

* * *

A/N: Well? Are you dying of curiosity yet? Are you just _dying_ to know what has happened? Well, you'll just have to wait a few more chapters. Yes, I said a few more. Gosh! I just love being evil.


	19. Party Time Again

Heh, heh, heh. I hear some of you guys are mad at me, huh? That's amusing, but you really shouldn't be. The cliffhangers was only for added effect, and if you guys hate me now, just wait until the chapter after this one, then you guys will be coming after me with the pitchforks and knives. Uh, maybe I shouldn't mention that just yet. Anyway, no more cliffhangers, I promise. Here's the next installment. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Final Fantasy VIII. I promise.

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

_Chapter Nineteen_

_"Party Time!...Again"_

"Alright, so several of your friends wished to get you together with another student. I fail to understand how this could be relevant to your statement that you completed this task out of revenge." Principal Kramer rested in his chair with elbows propped up onto the desk. He watched Squall through those large, tacky glasses, which magnified his dull, old eyes. he occasionally would glance up at the three parents who still remained standing behind the boys.

"That's not all of it." Squall replied. He'd never intended to tell this story to anyone, let alone his parents or the principal. It all seemed so silly now so juvenile. "There's still more."

"Well, I have all night, Mr. Leonhart." The Principal stated. "Please continue." His temper had finally died down, and for the time being he was calm. he was somewhat impressed by the almost enthusiastic support of the two boys, not to mention the fact that one of them was willing to take the blame for this whole thing.

Squall sighed. He was only telling this story to get Seifer off the hook. he didn't need to try to claim his own innocence. He was guilty and he knew it. He shrugged and told more to the Principal, who seemed more intrigued by the whole incident than he led them to believe.

As he continued to speak, Seifer watched him. He couldn't believe that Squall was going to take all the blame, even after he had told him he would go along with him. He knew Squall was just trying to protect him, but he said he would take whatever the Principal and the school board would throw at him by his best friend's side. He was hurt, yes, that Squall wouldn't let him take some of the blame, but if Squall took it all, then he'd be facing almost certain expulsion, and who knows what would happen to him! He couldn't let this happen but was afraid that there wasn't much he could do now.

The Principal sat and listened to Squall speak. he never wavered in tone but remained confident. Principal Kramer was insistent that Squall was determined to be the hero. he was somewhat proud of the young man, who was willing to sacrifice himself and take responsibility of his actions to protect his friend. Unfortunately, he had to give him a punishment. He had to set an example, but Squall didn't seem upset. It was almost as if he was willing to take the punishment on a silver platter.

"Alright, then what happened at the dance? That's the only thing you have yet to explain." Principal Kramer asked.

Squall nodded.

_At the dance..._

Squall was standing, reluctantly, on the stage with Rinoa. Quests had just announced them as the Formal King and Queen. Squall was keeping his eyes peeled, watching for anyone who might go near the string. Quistis forced him down into the throne finally, and Rinoa stared at him strangely. He glanced around the Gym. So far, there was nothing, no one even remotely close, but then, something caught his eye. Someone was moving toward the string to release the net!

He jumped to his feet and ran to the edge of the stage. "NO!" His voice echoed off the walls as the music stopped and everyone stared at him.

Seifer ran across the Gym. Upon getting closer, he dove, stretched out, and arms first like Superman. He threw the guy to the floor and blew out a sigh of relief. Gasps from surrounding people were heard along with Professor Fitzgerald demanding to know what was happening, but Seifer's attention had been diverted, and the person returned to his feet and pulled the string.

"NO!" Squall yelled again. It was hopeless now; he dropped to his knees.

Rinoa walked out behind him and looked up, just in time to see the net come down.

Screams erupted as the net hit the floor, releasing ink-filled water balloons, glue-covered confetti, and fixed oatmeal. A string, a separate string, was attached to the net and as the trap fell down, it was attached to the fire alarm, turning on the sprinklers.

Water, ink, glue, and oatmeal hit the defenseless students, permanently staining expensive dresses and suits. The screams, yells, and even bursts of laughter continued, drowning out other students and attempts by some to calm others down. Squall was still on his knees, cursing under his breath. He and Seifer had purposely put more stuff on the side where the King and Queen would be standing/ He was now covered in his own devious trick and irate beyond all reason. He was more afraid, however, to turn around and look at Rinoa.

Through the chatter and confusion among everyone else, a high, piercing scream, louder than anything else in the room, erupted out and over through the Gym. Sudden silence filled the Gym as the scream died down. All eyes were on Rinoa in shock as the water poured down everywhere, ruining hard work and preparation. She was panting, eyes bright and glaring at one individual: Squall. Rage filled her face as she focused on only him. Her dress was ruined, her night was ruined, and more importantly, her hard work was all ruined.

Everyone watched her. No one had ever seen her this angry before, this enraged. For a few moments, everyone forgot about the situation around them but focused on Rinoa, anticipating what she would do.

"Leonhart!" she screamed, losing all control. All logic, reason, happiness, and enjoyment were gone, replaced by sheer, indescribable anguish.

Squall didn't move at first. He stood like stone, doing nothing. A few people wondered if he was praying to Hyne, others thought he was just soaking in what little life he obviously had left. she was lit, glowing in her own fury. The silence still lingered and eyes still watched. The winter kingdom that was supposed to be magical for all was being torn apart by a king for a jester and an enraged, sensitive queen, and she would kill the king if that were possible.

Seifer watched Squall, who remained on his knees, head bent. He couldn't see his face but wished he could. he wanted to know what was going through his mind. If anything, he wanted to know how Squall was going to get out of this one gracefully. He was tempted to go and see if he was okay, but his feet wouldn't move. he stayed where he was, immobilized on the floor with Professor Fitzgerald lingering beside him, attempting to calm down upset students with no luck.

Squall returned to his feet and turned to face the furious Rinoa, whose anger continued to grow. He reached up and removed the crown from his head, casting it aside where it hit the floor with a loud clangor. He met her eyes with a blank expression, showing no remorse or any other sign that6 he had done something wrong.

Everyone in the Gym watched the scene take place between what would've been the hottest couple in school. No one spoke a word but watched and waited, each wondering what would happen. Some feared an intense battle was soon to emerge, but a majority was waiting on the Professors and Principal to step in and stop all this madness.

The anger that was displayed on Rinoa's face was still present as she glared at Squall, demanding to know why. He said nothing but continued to look at her. His face was blank and his body language was unreadable, but she was determined to know why he would do this to her. Didn't he know that she had put a lot of time and effort into this? Didn't he have enough respect for her to back off and let her have her moment? Apparently, he didn't give a damn about her, so what of all those talks of forgiveness and friendship? Rinoa wanted no parts of that now. She wanted him to burn in Hell.

Squall watched the fire in her eyes explode and had an immediate wish that someone would ram a knife right through his heart. Anything would be better than the pain he felt right now. He had meant to stop this from happening, but when he finally came to reason, it was too late. He couldn't go back. He would if he could, though. But that was impossible. This was just another one of his failures he could tack on to his list. he had done so much to her, and this was the last straw. As the saying goes, "It's all over but the crying."

Rinoa opened her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance to utter so much as one syllable before the loud sound of a war call was heard from off stage. Everyone, including Squall and Rinoa, turned to see what the source of the sound was as Drag, Zion, and Bryce came running out. Each of them had a mic but Zion carried a bass guitar and Bryce an electric guitar.

"Yo' Balamb High!" Drag yelled. "Are you guys ready to Party?" He threw his head back and laughed maniacally as Bryce and Zion slid their fingers down the frets of the guitars, producing a nasty, rigid sound. Cheers erupted from the crowd, softly at first, then louder, overwhelming the entire room. "Yeah! You're ready for a real party, aren't ya?  
People were jumping up and down now in their soaked outfits, yelling and screaming for a party.

Seifer, whose jaw had dropped to the floor by now, was called to the stage by Drag. He walked forward, slowly and unsure of what was happening. Was this some sort of erratic dream that he was in? Would he wake up soon before this turned into a complete disaster? he shook his head. They were well past disaster at this point. At any rate, he proceeded to the stage and received a mic from Drag.

"Well, we're going to pump you guys up! Ya know why? Cuz it's..." Seifer looked to Drag, Zion, and Bryce who joined him. "Grimm's Defeat!"

As Seifer rallied up the crowd, Drag pulled out the drum set, and Zion brought out the rest of the equipment. Bryce handed the guitar to his _slightly_ confused brother.

"What are you doing/" he whispered.

"Saving your ass." Bryce replied with a smirk before going over to help Zion. Squall shook his head and looked around to see Rinoa gone. He almost let out a sigh of relief but didn't. He knew Rinoa was mad, and he was expecting something to happen. She would explode on him before long, and he would be ready to take it, too.

Seifer grabbed Squall's arm and through the overpowering noise, yelled in his ear. "What the Hell is going on?"

"I don't know, but we should make the most of it and then get the Hell out of here! It might buy us some time!" Squall yelled back. he was so clueless at this point it wasn't funny.

"Are we actually putting on show?" Seifer asked.

"It would appear that way." Squall shrugged. The crashing sound of a symbol echoed off the walls and was soon accompanied by a rhythm on the drum and a rift from the bass guitar. Squall shrugged again and added his own rift to the impending rhythm.

"Let's give 'em Hell, boys!" Drag yelled over the noise, barely heard. "Esthar-style!"

They began a song, showing their hard rock style, appealing to the mass crowd. A mosh pit appeared at the front of the stage. This was the new face of the four guys from Esthar, adding to their Bad Boy images. The crowd loved it, and they heard the cheers and laughter and soaked it in.

On the outside of the excitement, looking in, Rinoa watched in complete disbelief. squall and Seifer had ruined the dance, and what were they all doing? They were celebrating them! She was outraged. Why on earth would they celebrate the guys who destroyed all her hard work? She suddenly hated them all, but she was the only one. Everyone else was having a good time, which was what she had wanted in the first place, but this was definitely not how she planned it to be. She had imagined that everything would have gone smoothly and perfectly, but this was far from smooth or perfect. This was nothing short of a disaster.

Rinoa looked at the corsage on her wrist and was recharged with utter loathing. She ripped off the thing and threw it towards the nearest trash can. not caring if she made it or not. She was seething, grinding her teeth at the two guys on the stage. She actually wasn't that mad at Seifer, but the fury she held inside for Squall was stronger than anything she had known. He'd been stupid before, but this just went over the top.

Selphie looked over to where Rinoa was hiding and frowned. She slipped through the crowd, making her way over to the still fuming girl. She didn't understand why Rinoa was upset. Everyone was having a good time. Isn't that what she had wanted in the first place? So why wasn't she enjoying herself too?

"Hey, Rinny?" Selphie approached her slowly, afraid that she wouldn't want her to be there. Rinoa turned to her and shook her head.

"Why are they celebrating them?" she asked, returning her gaze of hatred to the band. She fought tears as she remembered how much time and effort she had put into this.

"Because they're having fun, Rinny. Maybe you should, too. After all, if you can't beat them, join them." Selphie replied. She pulled the wet hair behind her ears. the sprinklers were still going. Either no one could figure out how to shut them off or they were being left on for added effect.

"Selphie, this isn't how I wanted this night to happen!" Rinoa argued, no, longer caring if she cried. there was no point in fighting the inevitable anymore. "In wanted this to be perfect. It was supposed to be perfect. Why would they do this to me? After knowing how much work I put into it, why would they ruin everything?" Tears slid down her face.

"I don't think they meant to hurt you, Rinny. I think they just wanted everyone to have a good time. Maybe by breaking the bonds of tradition they could do that. I Really don't think it had anything to do with you." Selphie hugged her friend, but Rinoa didn't return the hug. She just stood there, her eyes becoming red from the tears.

"I hate them, Selphie." she sobbed on her shoulder, and Selphie could do nothing to calm her down.

Up on the stage, the guys were in the midst of an upbeat song, jumping all over the stage, driving the audience crazy. All of them had discarded their jackets and were playing in their dress shirts, pants and ties. Even soaking wet, they looked good. the water from the sprinklers was collecting on the stage, making mini puddles, and every time the three guys jumped, water would splash everywhere, adding to the effect of the whole image. As for Drag, every time he hit a symbol, water flew off it. The whole picture looked cool and just added to the excitement of the event.

As Squall stepped back into place after playing a fast and tricky solo, he caught a glimpse of Selphie and Rinoa. More importantly he saw the state of Rinoa and was overcome by immediate guilt. She was upset and it was all his fault. But he tried to stop it. He had changed his mind, but unfortunately, it had been way too late. His eyes locked on her, and he could see everything he had worked for out the window. But then, that made him think of Rinoa. How did she feel? All her planning and decorations were completely ruined, and it was his fault. Yes, everyone was having a good time, but he knew this wasn't the type of "good time" that she had planned.

He shook his head and went back to the song. He'd figure out what to do later. He knew he'd have to make it up to Rinoa somehow. That is, if she'd even speak to him after this. He blew it. That was obvious.

Of course, he couldn't help but feel, in a way, that she deserved this. It was a horrible thing to say, though. No one deserved this much torture. Especially not after so much time and effort had been put in to make it perfect. But she had said yes to going with his brother, even after she knew there was something between them. She had crossed a line. That was the only reason why he had done this in the first place. But who was he really mad at? he couldn't be mad at Rinoa. There was no possible way he could be mad at her, but Bryce he could be mad at. Or could he? It seemed that the only person worth blaming and being mad at was himself. Only one person was left once the dust had settled, and that person was him. he was the only one at which a finger of blame could be pointed.

He glanced over the crowd. People were jumping up and down, dancing with the closest person in arm's length and smiling and laughing. It surprised him that most of everyone was having fun despite the fact that their dressed, suits, and hair were all ruined. Maybe the new generation really was sick of tradition.

Again, his eyes floated over to Rinoa. She had broken out of Selphie's comforting embrace and was standing in front of her. The curls had fallen out of her hair from the water, but her Queen's crown was still positioned on the top of her head. To him, she still looked beautiful, even though she was soaking wet with ink stains all over her. Luckily, the oatmeal had rinsed off.

_What have I done?_ He wondered. He hated himself now.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa's rage only increased as the minutes dragged on. By this time, she was unapproachable and remained on her own in the corner by the stage. She watched Squall with impending hatred but was filled with her own self-loathing. She had allowed him to do this to her. If she wouldn't have trusted him so much but kept her eyes open, she was almost certain that this whole disaster wouldn't have taken place. She knew that she couldn't put all the blame on Squall that she too, deserved some of it, but it was much easier to do so than admit her own traces of fault. After all, she wasn't the one who destroyed everything! The person who did, however, was standing up on the stage like this was no big deal at all.

Rinoa shivered as the cold water continued to pour around her, and she really wished that someone would cut the damn things off. Her dress and her hair were both beyond repair at this time, and she didn't even want to know what her makeup looked like. She wanted to go home and get as far away from here as possible. The bad memory of tonight would probably linger until her dying day, which didn't comfort her one bit. In fact, it only made the whole situation worse if that was even possible.

Squall, as he played, would look over at Rinoa every now and then, careful as to not make eye contact with her. He saw the distress in her face had still lingered even after the initial shock had finally worn off. He felt his own distress as he watched her. He did this; he was responsible for everything that happened to her. he wanted to just stop playing and stop time so he could go to her. Of course, he knew it would be impossible for him to comfort her. She would turn him away, keep him from harming her even more. He could already see her locking herself up, recoiling into a secluded area within her mind. He frowned and was still waiting for the knife to be stuck into his heart. He would prefer anything than this.

A break in the song allowed for the guys to breathe a little bit and for Seifer to turn and look at Squall. His eyes were focused on Rinoa in the corner who still fumed. he watched Squall struggle in a losing battle. He shook his head and walked over to him as Drag and Zion switched places.

"You okay?" He asked, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Squall was more than just as best friend, he was a brother to him.

"She hates me." Squall turned his head to Seifer. "Doesn't she?"

"She'll get over it." Seifer replied. "Everyone is having a good time. Once she realizes that, she'll be _thanking_ you." Seifer knew the probability of that was slim at best. Rinoa, unfortunately, was the type of person who enjoyed tradition and was a firm practicer of it. The likelihood that she would thank Squall for breaking the bonds of tradition was impossible to even fathom, but Seifer wanted to at least try to give Squall some words of encouragement, even if they were false.

"I doubt it, but thanks anyway." Squall sighed. He looked back to Rinoa only to find her gone again. He glanced around the room frantically, but it was no use. She was gone, probably hidden amongst the masses. He cursed for allowing her to leave his sight but there wasn't much he could do from up here.

They guys reproached their positions and were about to play when the sound went down. Everyone looked around in confusion and even anger as Professor Fitzgerald appeared pushing through the crowd. She looked like a walking disaster, her black business suit ruined with ink stains, oatmeal, and water. When the students began to realize who the cause of all the commotion, they parted like the Red Sea and allowed more than enough room for the obviously enraged Professor to proceed up to the stage. She grabbed a mic, the only thing working, from Seifer's hand and gripped his shoulder with deadly sharp nails.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this party is here by over!" she snarled into the mic. "Please leave in an orderly fashion!" She then turned to the guys on the stage as the students began to leave. "But you all are coming with me!" She glared at them with her dark beady eyes.

"Drag and Zion had nothing to do with this." Squall interjected before Drag or Zion could state otherwise. The last thing he wanted to do was drag in more casualties.

"Yeah," Seifer nodded. "It was just me and Squall." He gulped nervously.

"Fine," she spat out, grabbing Squall and Seifer and pushing them both to the stairs. "Then you two are coming with me." She was rugged and shoved them again until they walked willingly.

Outside the Gym, the Principal was waiting. "Mr. Leonhart and Mr. Almasy, let's take a walk to my office, shall we?"

* * *

A/N: Oops...I lied. no comment and Later Days!

P.S Don't hurt me!


	20. Relief or Regret?

Hey, guys. This chapter is one of those let's jump inside the minds of Squall and Seifer and see how much trouble we can get into. It's relevant to the story plot, but the chapter itself kinda deals with how you interpret their actions, like the title suggests. It's not as off the wall as the color chapter but it is down that alley sort of. It also features the ever so wonderful Professor Fitzgerald. She plays an important role in this story...sort of. To understand what I mean you have to get inside my head, and believe me, that is no easy feat. There are too many passwords and traps and odd mazes that have no end. Heck, I'M even still trying o get in. Go figure. Anyway, that's just a thought. Here's 20!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII. Please see the man who does own it in Japan to confirm this statement.

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

_Chapter Twenty_

_"Relief of Regret?"_

"That's it." Squall said softly as he finished his story. His eyes dropped to the floor and he waited. Silence crept in, showing its ugly face, as they all waited for something to happen, for someone to say something. At first, Principal Kramer was silent. He looked over the boys, analyzing the story that Squall had just told. He believed him, but that wasn't what he was struggling with. He didn't know what punishment to give either one of them. Of course, he couldn't let them off completely; at least some action had to be taken, but of that he was unsure He needed to consult with the parents again and then the school board, but he feared that he would have to make this decision alone. A movement outside his office door captured his attention, and he looked to see Professor Fitzgerald waiting patiently.

"One moment please." he said to the five other people as he rose from his desk and proceeded to the door. A short, brief conversation with the Professor occurred, and the Principal returned to his desk. "Mr. Leonhart, Mr. Almasy, I need to speak with your parents. If you would please go with Professor Fitzgerald, she will escort you down to the Gym where you can get started on that mess." He dismissed them, and the two guys removed themselves from the Principal's office. Professor Fitzgerald waited outside, and she glared at the two guys as they all proceeded down to the Gym.

Squall and Seifer both avoided Professor Fitzgerald's glaring, heated gaze and even one another as they continued what felt like a never-ending trek to the Gym. Nothing was worse than being alone with the most evil, defile woman in the entire world. This would be classified as torture in itself.

They finally reached the outside of the Gym, and as they were about to enter, Professor Fitzgerald grabbed both guys by a shoulder, digging her dagger like nails into their flesh, forcing them to turn around and face her.

"In the unlikely circumstance that you tow hooligans are not, in fact, expelled, I will make sure personally that your lives are completely miserable from the first second that you step into this building to very last one that you leave!" She hissed, leaning closer into their faces menacingly. "And believe me, that is not a threat. That is a promise." She thrust a broom and a mop into both of them, jabbing Squall in the stomach. He restrained from wincing with high difficulty. "Now get to work." She turned on her heels and returned up to the office. Squall and Seifer just stood there watching here until she was out of sight.

When she was finally gone, they exchanged quick looks before proceeding into the Gym. The sight was even worse than they had left it.

"Oh, man!" Squall groaned; he wasn't referring to the work load but to the memory he knew he had to live with for the rest of his life. "I really blew it this time!"

"We," Seifer corrected softly. Squall looked at him strangely. How could he still want to stand by him after what he dragged him into?

"Yeah, sure." He shrugged.

"Looks like we'd better get to work." Seifer said, taking the broom and heading through the mess of the gym.

"Yeah, this isn't going to clean itself, is it?" Squall sighed and walked over to the stage and began mopping up the puddles of water while Seifer worked on the confetti mess around the tables. "Damn! What a mess!" Squall let out a low whistle. He heard Seifer mutter an agreement, and then they settled into an uneasy silence. There wasn't much good to this at all. As the night went on, it seemed that everything went wrong. Squall knew he should have stayed at home in bed, but something had made him come. He thought he knew what it was, but he wasn't entirely sure in that.

So he thought on what he was going to happen to him. He had already taken all the blame, but would that be enough to clear Seifer's name? The only thing he wanted to do was accept his punishment and be done with it. In his opinion, it shouldn't take this long to decide upon whether or not he was guilty or non-guilty. He assumed that he was just going to have to wait and see and see what happens. That ultimately feared him, but at this point, he didn't have much of a choice.

Seifer didn't enjoy the silence, but he didn't want to force Squall to talk either. He knew that he had to be thinking about something, and that it had to do with this whole situation. It was difficult to forget what was going on and the seriousness surrounding it. Their future was at stake here, not to mention a few friendships as well.

Squall sighed heavily as the minutes dragged by slower than before. He felt like time had slowed down just to torture him. He wanted to know what was going to happen to him, and then be done with it all. This wasn't working at all; he didn't like having to find other things to occupy his thoughts with.

Finally, Seifer couldn't take it anymore. Without looking up, he called to squall. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" the other guys asked, looking in his direction.

"Why did you take all the blame?" Seifer demanded, looking up and leaning on the broom. "Even after I told you I would go down with you, why did you take all the blame?"

"Because I had to." Squall walked to the edge of the stage and sat down. "Listen, that whole thing was my idea. It was my own mindless obsession to get back at someone, but you know, I'm no longer sure who I was aiming at." He sighed again and looked away. "By the time I realized that what I was doing as wrong, it was too late to change it. This is my fault. I just dragged you into it for unknown reasons. I don't want you to take any kind of punishment on my account."

"But I said I would! Listen, I knew what the consequences would be if I helped you. I knew we would get caught. I said I would help you, and I said that I would take any punishment they could throw at me. It doesn't matter. You're my best friend, and I'm going to stand by you no matter what. I was your accomplice proudly back in Esthar, and I'm going to be the same thing here. You're not going to stop me!" Seifer repeated, losing some of his patience and his temper. He didn't know why he was so mad, but he was. "Everyone else may be afraid of you, but I know you and I'm not."

Squall jumped off from his seat on the stage and walked over to Seifer. "Seifer, you and I both know that back in Esthar we never got caught. Yes, everyone knew it was us, but we never got caught. And you also know as well as I do that Principal Kramer thinks that I've done it all and that you had nothing to do with it. What's done is done, and there's no going back or changing it. And what's this about everyone being afraid of me? That doesn't have to do with anything."

"You know what I mean!" Seifer protested.

"And you know what I mean when I say that he thinks I did it and brought you into it against your will. It can't be changed. I can't just go back and tell the Principal that I lied to him, and that you were involved too. I can't and I won't. This was my problem, my obsession, and my downfall. Let me have it my way." Squall spoke to him calmly, never wavering in tone or losing his confidence. He finished his part of the argument and then returned to the stage, grabbing his mop off the floor along the way.

Seifer frowned in knowing that he could not add anymore to that argument in his defense. Squall wouldn't let him be included. He knew that he should thank him for keeping him out of trouble, but he was still just a little angry that Squall was trying to be the hero. He wanted some of the glory, too, but alas, he didn't want the rejection or the expulsion. But no matter what happened- rejection or expulsion- squall would still be the hero. He would be the Handsome Sailor celebrated and like despite his actions. He envied Squall but not enough to want to go crazy over it.

Seifer went back to his work with the broom, concentrating on one area but not actually cleaning. He was just dragging the broom across the floor, not picking up dirt, just moving it across the floor for no reason.

Squall would occasionally look at Seifer out the corner of his eye, but other than that, he kept to himself, working to both clean up and maintain the silence that surrounded them. He wasn't in the mood to speak anymore. He wanted to get this all over with. The sooner this nightmare ended, the sooner he could get on with the rest of his life. Well that is, if he even had life left by the time his parents were done with him, but in all actuality, it wasn't his parents whom he feared. They would just lecture him and probably ground him, but the punishment that he really feared would come from the one person whom he tried so hard to earn respect from. He'd lost all that now, he was sure, but he was still afraid of the punishment that would come. She would push him away and out for good, offering him no chance for redemption.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, breaking the silence he tried so hard to maintain. He looked up and around, but Seifer obviously hadn't heard him, and he was relieved. He didn't want to have to explain himself.

And so he went back to his work and his silence. It wasn't worth the pondering and worrying. He'd get himself out of this scrap. After all, he'd always been able to before. No matter how hard this was, he'd get through it with no problems. He may walk out of the fire alone, but at least he'd walk out free and that was all that really mattered.

* * *

A/N: Well, there it is. I liked this chapter only for one reason: Professor Fitzgerald. I don't know why, but she just makes me laugh. She's like the evil villain that you don't even notice, and then she comes back and like takes over the world. It's awesome!! R&R and ignore my useless ramblings. Later Days!


	21. Some Things Should Stay Buried

Miss me yet? Worried yet? Dying to know what's going to happen yet? Well, _I_ know what's going to happen, but something tells me that doesn't help you much, does it? Hee, hee! Oh, well. You'll find out soon enough. Actually, while I'm on the subject, let me tell you: I plan to have this finished by December 18th. That's my birthday, so it's a little happy birthday present to me to see this done and posted and an early Christmas present for the rest of you. And for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, it's just a random present for you. Yes, I'm such a kind person. You may now declare your love for me! J/k! Here's chapter 21 before you guys start throwing rotten vegetables at me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII places, characters, or ideas. I only own, Bryce, Drag, Zion, the Winter Formal, and Squall's change in attitude, but that is going for 50 bucks on eBay. Let the bidding begin!

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

_Chapter Twenty-One _

_"Some Things Should Stay Buried" _

"What is going to happen to them?" Mrs. Almasy asked once the boys had left the office with Professor Fitzgerald. She spoke before another uneasy silence could settle in and make things even more uncomfortable.

Principal Kramer sighed. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do." He actually did sound unsure. 'I think Squall is telling the truth, and if he is, then the only thing Seifer would get would be a few days of out of school suspension."

"And what about Squall?" Laguna asked, worry shining in his face.

"Well, I admire that he told the truth and is willing to take he entire blame on his own, but…" He cut himself off and frowned.

"But what?" Laguna asked. Mrs. Almasy nodded anxiously. She cared about Squall, too, like he was her own son. The two young men acted like brothers anyway.

"He may actually be expelled." Raine added for the struggling Principal. She knew it was coming. After all, this was a serious offense, but she didn't want to see her son's life thrown away for no reason.

"I'm afraid so, but before I can make any indication of what he may face. I must consult the school board. He may actually get off easy." Principal Kramer said. He honestly didn't want to expel him, but the odds weren't in his favor anymore.

"When will we know?" Laguna asked.

"I will promise an answer by tomorrow. It's the best I can do. I'm sorry." The Principal shook his head sadly.

Another uneasy, unwelcome silence settled in, and they all shifted uncomfortably.

"Mr. Kramer," Laguna said as he got up to leave. "I did not raise either of my boys to do bad things. Raine and I taught them both the value of honesty and good intentions. I don't know what could've happened to make him do this, but I'm sorry on his behalf all the same." Laguna walked to the door, not expecting an answer or comment of any kind from the Principal but left the room. Raine slowly raised herself from her own seat and addressed the Principal.

"He is right, sir, and we both apologize for his behavior here tonight. I will make sure that nothing like this happens again." She bowed low to him, a tradition of her Galbadian customs. "He won't leave until that Gym is spotless."

"Thank you, Mrs. Loire, and I will have an answer for you by tomorrow." Principal Kramer rose and walked both Raine and Mrs. Almasy out of his office, and the two women proceeded to the Gym. Laguna was nowhere in sight, and Raine concluded that he was fuming somewhere.

"What could've happened, Raine?" Mrs. Almasy asked her long-time friend as they walked the long, cold halls down to the Gym. "What could've happened that would make our boys go astray?"

"I don't know," Raine shook her head, wondering the exact same thing, but there was no answer, no explanation that could help solve this mystery. "But I wish I knew."

"They're both so bright. How could they make this mistake?" Seifer's mother, sounded so worried, despite the fact that her son would most likely get off easy.

"They're only boys, and they're teenagers." Raine only offered that little piece of input before the two mothers fell back into silence for the rest of the walk to the Gym.

They approached the Gym and when they opened the door and entered the Gym, they were shocked. The entire room was destroyed. There was water everywhere, the decorations were torn and sagged, and there was ink and oatmeal everywhere.

They spotted Squall and Seifer working in silence, cleaning in areas well away from each other. For the amount of time that they'd been down there, they obviously haven't gotten much accomplished.

"Oh my Hyne!" Seifer's mother gasped in a low whisper glancing over the room. "This is what they did?" she asked looking over at Raine whose eyes were wide and in shock.

Squall looked up to see that his mother and Seifer's mother had entered the room, and he groaned. _Here comes the first half of the storm_. He thought. He wasn't ready to face his parents yet. They would lecture him and say how disappointed they were in him, and he didn't feel like having to listen to that right now. He had enough problems to deal without them yelling at him. And so, he chose to ignore them and continue with his task on the stage. He made a quick glance at Seifer and concluded that he hadn't even noticed them yet.

Raine broke away from Mrs. Almasy's company and headed over to the stage to her son. She knew he was ignoring her, and part of her actually didn't blame him. At any rate, she walked to him and patiently beside him, on the edge of the stage for him to notice her. She always found this to be the most effective way to gain both of her sons' difficult attentions. Standing in their presence and not speaking somehow was a sure-fire way to get them to notice that she had something to say and they needed to listen.

It didn't take long. Squall looked up and met his mother's strangely calm eyes. A hard lump began to form in his throat, and he worried about what how the next few minutes would go. He didn't dare to speak yet but decided to let her do that. So he waited.

"I think you know what I'm going to say." Raine said quietly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What? That I'm an embarrassment to the family? That you're disappointed in me? What?" He asked, speaking just as quietly. He waited for her to start yelling at him.

Raine was shocked at his response but didn't show it. Like her son, she was good at concealing her emotions. After all, he had gotten that from her. "No, sweetie. You're not an embarrassment to the family. No matter what you do, we'll always love you and support you. We may not agree with your methods, but we will love you all the same." She reached over and touched her son's shoulder gently. He pulled back slightly, removing the hand from his person. She tried not to take offense to the obvious hint at rejection and continued. "I am slightly disappointed and even more so after seeing this Gym. Why?" she asked.

"I already told you." Squall replied, offering nothing further.

"I'm not stupid. I know you left out something that is probably the key to this whole operation. What is it?" Raine wasn't going to take no for an answer, but she was sure that Squall would fight her all the same.

"There is nothing more. That was it." He was going to fight her for one reason: he didn't think she would approve or understand his reasoning.

"You're lying to me. I'm your mother. I know." She lowered her eyes slightly to give him a harsher glare. "Now we can battle this out for the rest of the night, or you can drop your pride and tell me." She moved her hands to his hips and waited for him to say something.

"I have nothing to say." Squall said, gripping the mop so tightly his knuckles were turning white. He stared her in face without losing his composure, but it was a tough task all the same.

"Fine." Raine said tersely. "Looks like we're going to battle this out all night."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Seifer didn't notice that his own mother was standing beside him until she spoke to him. Of course, it caught him by surprise. He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard her approach him. He didn't say anything either. Instead, he waited for her to tell him hat she was disappointed, angry, and that he had a total of twos seconds to live so he had better reminisce quickly about the good times he'd had thus far because she was going to kill him. He'd been waiting, er, expecting this but not so soon.

"Seifer," she spoke his name quietly, just enough to get his attention. She didn't know what else to say to him. Yes, she was disappointed and maybe even a little angry, but he was her son, and he was mostly only going to get a few days of suspension. Right now, she worried more for Squall, afraid that this event would hinder his future success.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" he asked, avoiding eye contact.

His mother shook her head, which went unseen and whispered. "No," she was going to say something like _"You should be thanking Squall that you'll be able to stay in school."_ Or something else of the sort, but it never came out. She just shook her head again.

Seifer was surprised at her answer and stared at her strangely. He was almost tempted to ask her if she was really his mother, but this was not the time for jokes. With his luck, he'd try to make a joke, and she would smack him and give him the biggest lecture of the century. So he opted to keep his mouth shut, which was dubbed as a smack thing to do. He didn't want to speed up the process of his death. Believe it or not, he actually wanted to live.

"No, you're not in trouble. You did a bad thing, but you're not in trouble. I'm just glad it'll be over soon enough." Mrs. Almasy realized that this conversation was forced, and she began to worry.

"What's going to happen to us?" He asked, nervously.

"The Principal is going to call us tomorrow. Until then, let's try not to think about it." His mother hugged him. "Promise me you'll help get this mess cleaned up. Okay?"

"Sure." He dropped his gaze and looked away. He sounded so downhearted. She couldn't do anything for him but hugged him again, anyway. She told him to come home when they finished and then took her leave.

Seifer went back to his "work" but he never got very far. The sudden sounds of angry voices grabbed his attention, directing him to the stage.

"There is nothing!" Squall yelled, throwing the mop to the floor in anger. He and his mother stood on the stage, glaring at each other. They hadn't gotten very far in heir "conversation."

"Squall Dravon Leonhart!" Raine yelled, raising her voice threateningly. It had been a long time since Seifer had heard Raine talk like this, especially to Squall. Raine and Squall were closer than anyone thought possible. Raine was the only one who could get into Squall's wall unscathed. He trusted her, probably more than he did Seifer. "I don't know how stupid you think I am, but I am more than aware that there is a greater picture to this!"

"There's not. I told you everything that I needed to tell! When will you just drop it?" Squall demanded. He knew that it was unwise to argue and raise his voice to his mother, but this was something that he planned to keep withdrawn from everyone who didn't need to know. Seifer knew and that was probably it. Everyone else didn't matter.

"I don't believe you!" Raine turned her back to him, as if to calm herself down. "Listen, I'm not asking for much, just for you to trust me a little more. Ten to one I'd understand. So why not tell me?" Raine had returned to face her son, but this time, he was the one who looked away.

"It's not relevant, mom. Don't worry about it." He whispered, breaking his resolve. He didn't face her because she would know.

"That's a lie and you know it, and you're not convincing." She walked to him and touched his shoulder. "Please just tell me."

"I…I can't." He kept his eyes glued to the floor, where the mop rested.

"Yes, you can. I'm your mother. You can tell me anything, and you know that. What makes this so different?" she asked. The last thing she wanted was for him to distance himself form her. They'd always had a close bond with each other. She was too afraid to lose that bond.

"Just trust me and drop it." He leaned over and picked up the mop, signifying that he was done talking. Raine sighed and figured there wasn't much point left in even trying. He would open up to her when the time was right.

"Alright. If you say so." Raine dropped, just to please her son. "But make sure this is all cleaned up before you come home."

"Fine," he said nothing more but continued to clean up his monstrous mess.

Raine proceeded down the stairs of the stage and out of the Gym. Why was she leaving them alone? They needed time alone, without someone watching over them and judging them for this one action.

She left the Gym and found Laguna outside talking on his cell phone. She heard Kiros' name several times and figured that her husband was venting to his companion, but he shocked her. Laguna said one thing hat made Raine's heart fall to her knees.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It took Squall and Seifer nearly three hours to completely clean up the Gym, which they did in pretty much silence. There was no need for conversation. They were tired, regretful, and even angry, but they got the job done enough to suit them.

Seifer was the first to leave, but Squall remained, sitting on the edge of the stage, just thinking about what had happened. His eyes glanced over the still slightly messy Gym. He was wishing he could take it all back, but that was impossible now. Instead, he sat there watching and thinking. He didn't know what time it was, and he didn't even care. He obviously wasn't ready to go home yet, but he wasn't too keen on staying here. He kept seeing Rinoa's distressed face every time he closed his eyes, and that scared him. He was afraid that he'd destroyed everything. Well, he knew he'd destroyed everything, but now he was forced to do the impossible of trying to find a way to get Rinoa to not hate him. He knew that would be no easy task; she, of all people, could hold a grudge, but that wasn't the main problem he was faced with. He had a bigger problem than that, but he didn't want to admit it. He had hoped it wouldn't boil down to this but obviously, he was wrong, like most things.

"Mr. Leonhart?" he heard Principal Kramer's voice from across the room and looked up to find him standing just inside the Gym. "May I ask what you are doing?" He didn't sound mad, just curious.

"Thinking," Squall answered with a shrug. His eyes dropped to the floor, and he said nothing else.

Principal Kramer walked over to the young man and took a seat beside him. He never saw this young man that often as he seemed to be a good kid, but tonight he'd proven everyone wrong, but somehow, he didn't think the young man meant any initial harm.

Squall definitely didn't like being alone with the Principal, especially in the dead of the night. Somehow, this just didn't sit well with him. He stiffened his body involuntarily and said nothing but waited for the Principal to take charge. He figured a lecture would come, but he couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Oh? Just thinking?" He asked. He drummed his fingers lightly on his knees to a rhythm that Squall immediately reckonized. "About what may I inquire?"

"How badly I screwed up," Squall answered before he actually realized what he was saying. He was never one to admit failure and now he was being forced to do just that.

"So you're having regrets? I got the impression that you were quite proud of yourself." The Principal tried not to sound spiteful but remain calm enough to have a decent conversation with him.

"No," Squall shook his head. "No one could be proud of that."

"I see, then why did you do it?" The Principal asked.

Squall looked up at him for the first time, struggling to control his temper. "I already explained that." He said through clenched teeth.

"Alright, alright. No need to get hostile. I just thought that maybe you'd give me the real story now that you have no one to protect." He threw his hands up in some sort of defense.

Now he was shocked. "I wasn't protecting anyone."

"Your mouth tells me that but your face tells me otherwise. Tell me, was there a reason why you felt the need to take it all on your own?" He lowered his glasses down the bridge of his nose.

"Because I had to. It was all my fault, so I deserve all the blame. There's no other reason for it." Squall shrugged. He wasn't too keen on having this conversation, but he would endure it for now. After all, this was better than going home to complete abomination.

"Now why do you see it as your fault."

"Because I planned it, put it together, and executed it. I did it all. Seifer was only there to humor me. He did nothing wrong. It's all my fault." Squall looked away again. If perhaps that he didn't get expelled, he realized that he would have to face the entire school, and there would still be some people who didn't have fun and would be very angry at him. Expulsion almost seemed like a better option. Almost.

"But that doesn't mean you have to take all the blame. You could share some of it, since Mr. Almasy is more than willing." The Principal suggested.

"I can't let him do that. He's my best friend, and the last thing I need to do is involve him and get him expelled, too." Squall leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.

"That may be so, but there's no guarantee that you will be expelled." The Principal replied.

"I deserve to be," Squall whispered. He knew he was probably writing his own death sentence, but he was beyond caring at this point. He knew what he'd done, and he knew it was wrong.

"So, you would rather take expulsion then perhaps a few days of out of school suspensions and detention?" Principal Kramer asked.

"Yes," Squall said without hesitation. "I deserve expulsion."

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"Not at all. A wrong done is a punishment deserved." Squall replied, staring forward. It amazed Principal Kramer that Squall could hold that much determination.

"Ah, and Estharian proverb." The older man clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and smiled.

"It serves the purpose." Squall commented, in agreement with the Principal's statement. And then they fell into silence, which Squall found more awkward than before with seemingly forced conversation. He waited for the older man to say something, but instead he looked forward, nodding his head to now particular rhythm with closed eyes. He looked content enough, but something was eating at Squall. He suddenly wanted to run, to get out of there before the whole thing ate him alive in enormous pain.

"Well, it sure is getting late for me and you, too." Principal Kramer looked to Squall over the rims of his thick glasses. "Perhaps you should get home before the sun rises." The statement was meant to be humor, but Squall didn't laugh or even crack the smallest smile. His face remained somber and his eyes as cold and dark as the night.

"It won't do any good." Squall said as he jumped of the stage. He grabbed his suit jacket that had managed to find its way onto the floor and attempted to proceed to the door, but the Principal grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

"Make sure you know what you want, and you know the consequences. I'd hate to see you throw your life away over something that was unnecessary." The Principal said. He wanted to give Squall the best opportunity that he could, but he was afraid that his mind was already made up.

"I deserve it, and it's meant to be." With that he wrenched away from the Principal's grasp and proceeded out the door.

The Principal watched him leave with sad eyes. He was afraid for the young man. He'd made one mistake that would do nothing short of ruin his life. He wanted to do what he could for him, but his hands were tied behind his back. It's Squall's life, and he had to do this on his own. Once he walked out that door, all the protection he once had within the comfort of the school and his parents would be gone forever.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall pushed the doors open and took a step outside. He looked around as the snow had turned to rain. He'd had enough of water; it just seemed to ruin everything- literally.

"So much for a winter fantasy," he muttered distastefully. He pushed through the cold rain and wind to his car. He thought about going home but then decided against it. The last thing he wanted was to go home to another lecture from his parents. He was sick of lectures; he was sick of hearing than he had done something wrong and immoral when he already knew that. He was capable of distinguishing the difference between right and wrong, and he knew that tonight he had done something majorly wrong, and he'd be paying for it for a long, long time.

Instead, he opted to go somewhere else, although he didn't know where. He figured he'd just go driving to nowhere. He could stay up all night if he had to. He was tempted to just drive out of Balamb and never come back. He would have actually preferred that, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option. He still had a few apologies to make to certain people, and before he could drive off into the dark abyss, he had to get out of Hell first.

He thought about going to Joe's, but he knew it wouldn't be open. He wanted to go somewhere and be alone with his thoughts, as they were the only companions he probably had left. That was all he really wanted. He needed to work this out, but he didn't think there was much he could do.

He got into his car and just started driving, not knowing where he was going. His phone vibrated several times, and he knew it had to be his mother. He didn't answer but threw the thing into the back seat of his car, and let it vibrate all it wanted.

And he drove on.

He drove past Balamb and onto the road that eventually led to the mountainous woods to the west of Balamb. He'd never been back there, but it seemed like the perfect, secluded spot to hide himself for a few hours.

The road led back there was rough and untravelled, but what looked like fresh tire tracks led the way. He thought he remembered someone telling him that there was a cliff on the other side that looked over the ocean. He could hide himself back there for days if need be.

It took a good twenty minutes just to get through the road. Snow and rain made it dangerous and extremely muddy. He wondered if he'd even get back out before spring, but he figured it would be worth it.

That was, until he saw the silver Jaguar parked at the end of the road. Mud trailed up the sides of the car, and he looed around to see no one anywhere near the place. He got out of his car and walked around the other to see a small, equally muddy trail that he hadn't seen before. He was slightly wary to head down that path, but he didn't see another path anywhere else. So he went down it against his will. He thought he knew what waited for him once he reached the end, but he couldn't be completely sure. He walked through the mud and the snow for a good hundred yards before the trees even began to thin out. As he approached what he assumed was the end, he heard a sound. It was a soft, warm sound, and as he proceeded closer, he could distinguish words within the melodious sound.

She came into view, wearing a dark hoodie and jeans and sitting on the edge of the snowy cliff. The trees cleared out about five feet in front of him and he leaned against one, just to watch her and listen.

She sang a sad song, one of hurt and possibly longing. He knew then that he had awakened a nightmare deep within her, and she was paying the price for his actions, for his stupidity. This night had meant so much to her, and he ruined it just because he was jealous. Now, he was almost glad that he would probably be expelled. At least then he wouldn't have to see her everyday and see the horrible thing he'd done to her.

She must have sensed his presence because she stopped singing. He could hear the tears through her voice, but now that she was quiet, he heard the soft sniffling, too. But anyway, she stopped and just sat there. Maybe she was waiting for him to say something? He actually wasn't even sure that she knew he was there. He just leaned against the tree and watched her. The rain was now coming down harder, and he found it ironic that it was cold and raining. He thought it fit the mood of the night, at any rate.

"Here to gloat?" she asked, barely raising her voice above a whisper, but he heard her all the same. She never moved but somehow knew it was him.

"No," he replied, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. He was shocked that she knew he was there without even turning around.

"Shocking," she whispered dryly, her voice dropping down low again until he couldn't hear her. She continued to look out across the dark waters through the rain. He didn't reply or move from his spot against the cold, wet tree. He was waiting for the thunder that she would release on him, but so far, it hadn't come. It was calm between them, and he didn't like it. He wanted her to just yell at him and be done with this night, and he was now just waiting for the world to end.

He thought about apologizing to her, but he knew that wouldn't do him any good. No amount of apologizing could make up for the fact that he ruined something that she had worked extremely hard on and that was supposed to be magical. He destroyed her dreams of a perfect night, letting himself be controlled by a jealous rage. If she liked his brother, he had to accept that no mater how aggravating and degrading it was. He couldn't let himself linger in the past of something that never was. If she didn't' want him, he had to understand and not hold a grudge. After what he did tonight, he owed her that much respect.

"Why?" she asked moments later after he had come to the conclusion that he couldn't hold a grudge anymore.

He pushed himself off the tree and began to walk to her but stopped a few feet behind her. He was close enough to see the water that extended below the cliff and smell the strong salt within it. He had expected this question from her but found that he could not answer clearly. In fact, he didn't even remember why he had done this horrible deed.

"I don't know," he answered slowly, shaking his head. That was the truth, unfortunately. He didn't understand why he had done this. It didn't make sense anymore. Before, he knew exactly why. He was doing this out of revenge, but now that forced a question to arise: _Just on who was he seeking revenge?_ He was beginning to think that maybe he'd done it on himself, out of revenge on himself.

"You don't even know? How novel." Rinoa whispered.

Squall bit his tongue and said nothing to her sarcastic remark. He didn't want to make her even more of an enemy than he had to. In fact, he didn't even want her as his enemy at all. He couldn't keep an enemy close to him.

"I suppose saying I'm sorry would help much, would it?" Squall asked, forcing himself to speak the words.

"It's a start, but no, not really. 'I'm sorry' won't change anything. 'I'm sorry' won't bring back the perfect night that was supposed to happen." She struggled to speak as a fresh wave of tears came over her. She tried o wipe them away, but that didn't work. There were too many of them.

Despite the fact he knew that he shouldn't approach her, he walked up to her, knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the back of her head. He knew he was the last person she expected a support from, but he was there anyway, holding her close.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. She was so cold, radiating almost no heat from her body, and she shivered in his arms.

"Sorry doesn't make me feel any better." She sobbed, clutching his arms tightly.

"I know," he held her tighter against him. "I know I screwed up, but I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to ruin your night. I just-" But she interrupted him.

"Just stop talking," she commanded through her tears. "Save your excuses. I don't want to hear it."

He obliged and said nothing more but held her tighter, trying to warm her cold body and protect her. He was surprised that she actually allowed him to even touch her, let alone hold her. He knew there wasn't much he could do to comfort her, but he would try all the same. He cared about her, even though every time he tried to care, he ended up doing something stupid to push her away.

She shivered against him, and he realized that she was nearly soaked completely through from the rain and the snow.

'You should probably get out of this cold before you catch pneumonia." He whispered, breaking his obligation to not speak.

"I'm surprised you care," she replied bitterly, now shaking. She fought it though. She obviously didn't want to show that she was cold and weak.

"Don't do that." He snapped harshly, losing his temper he tried so hard to maintain.

"Well, excuse me. I am." She replied, pulling out of his arms.

"You don't need to be," He snapped back. He had a feeling that he storm was coming and I scared him.

"Well, I am, but tell me if you cared so much then why did you feel the need to destroy everything I worked for? Are you that heartless that you couldn't give me _one night_ to be proud of myself for what I did?" she demanded.

"Maybe I don't have a heart, but that is no why I did that! I had other reasons!" he retaliated.

"Oh, really? Well, couldn't you have picked another night to ruin my life and not this one?" she raised her voice in an irritated fashion.

"Sorry, princess, but that night just fit perfectly." He was mocking her now, and she didn't like it. It was bad enough that he tried to ruin her life, but now he was mocking her, and that made her even madder.

"Tell me something." She said, losing her temper and taking a step closer to him.

"What?" he snarled. He hadn't wanted it to be like this but knew that it was inevitable from the beginning. He should've known that she would get mad.

"Why did you feel the need to screw this up when you knew it meant so much to me/" she demanded. He said nothing. "You knew that I had been stressing over this all week. You knew that I was doing everything I could to make it perfect. You knew that this meant so much to me, so why? Why did you do this to my night? And me." She stared him in the eyes, honestly wanting to know why he had done what he'd done.

But he didn't have an answer for her. He couldn't answer her. It just wasn't possible for him to give her a straight answer that she wanted to hear, so he turned away and tried to walk away, but she grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"What?" he asked.

"Why?" she asked again, kinder.

He shook his head. "I told you I don't know." He looked away from her, revealing his weakness.

"I don't believe you." She tugged on his arm. "Tell me."

"Can we get out of this before you get sick?" he asked, exasperated. He no longer cared about himself.

"No!" she said quickly, digging her nails into his arm. "I need to know. Why would you want to hurt me?" He felt his heart rip and shatter into a thousand pieces as he watched her.

"I-I," but he just couldn't force himself to say it. He couldn't bear to tell her that it was basically a jealous rage, and he's been seeking revenge on everyone who had tried to mess with his life. He didn't want her to know that, at first, she had been a target, but then he tried to stop it. He didn't want to go through with it. He finally managed to look her in the eye. "Believe me, I never meant to hurt you. I would never do that intentionally."

"But you did," she said, trying not to cry, but it was becoming difficult.

Squall looked away again and cursed himself and his luck. He didn't like to see her upset, and he didn't like the fact that he was the cause either. "Look, let's just get out of the cold." He grabbed her arm and attempted to walk forward but she wouldn't move. He glanced back at her in confusion. "What?"

She pulled her hand out of his and shook her head. "I should still be mad. I should hate you, and part of me does, but it's just not that easy. I just can't say I hate you that I never want to see you again and be done with it. My mind tells me to do that, but my heart doesn't work that way. It never has. I've been hurt. I've been wounded, but I've always managed to find a way to heal. Until now, that is. I'm torn in the middle, stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't know what to do." Her eyes fell to the ground.

Squall knew he had a choice here, and he needed to choose wisely. The most obvious and possibly wisest decision was right in front of him, and he knew it would be best for both of them.

"Rin," he stopped, frowned, and then forced himself to drop her old pet name. "_Rinoa_, I don't think it's wise to remain whatever we were before. I tried so hard to earn your respect and your friendship, but then when I got close, I screwed up. It's not going to work. Something tells me it won't. I'll just continue to mess things up. I'll be perfect for a while, and then I'll make a mistake that puts everything in jeopardy. That's not worth your time. You're better than that and you deserve better than me." He hated the words even as they came out, but they needed to be said. He needed to make her understand that they were never meant to be. Their friendship, even their love was forbidden to a certain degree, and he couldn't get around that. He couldn't find a door out of his prison. He was stuck in there, and he was meant to be alone.

"So, you're going to just walk away?" She asked. Her jaw tightened as she kept from saying what she obviously wanted to say. She was holding back, and he tried not to object.

"I have to," he looked away. "There's no other way."

You'll still be here, though, won't you? You'll sill be here if I need you, right?" she asked.

"You won't need me, but I'll be around." He replied with a short nod.

"I don't agree with this. I'm still mad from the dance, but it just doesn't matter anymore, I guess." She looked up at him.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head sadly. He hated himself now more than ever, but she was right. It didn't matter anymore. "I'll be around." He whispered again.

"Okay," she nodded with a small shiver.

He remembered that they were still standing outside in he cold and the rain. He looked over his shoulder back down he trail where he had come. "We'd better get out of here."

She said nothing but walked past him, down the trail to her car. He just stood there where he was, staring in the opposite direction, off toward the cliff. He was seriously considering just jumping over the side and falling down into the water below, but he couldn't do that. He had to get through this rationally and not do anything stupid. This whole thing would be over sooner or later, and he just had to endure it until then.

He heard a car start and knew that she was leaving. He also knew that this was probably the last conversation that they would ever have, but he had to be okay with that and he would. He may not be strong, but he could endure.

He didn't leave for another few minutes, but when he did, he still had no idea where to go, so he just drove on.

* * *

A/N: Hey! I know that this may seem like the end, but it's not. I still have 4 chapters left, and believe me, a lot can happen in 4 chapters. Inserts evil laugh here. Anyway, I'm going to bed. Hope you enjoyed it! R&R and Later days!!


	22. The Proposal

Hey, hey people! I guess that last chapter made some of you sad, well, it's just what I said: It's not the last chapter and a lot can happen in three chapters. You just have to be patient and trust me. I know that sounds REALLY scary, but you have to do it if we're going to get through this story without any causalities.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII. I also do not own Ultra Lord. I own a few characters of my own and Squall's changed personality. Still on eBay!

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

_Chapter Twenty- Two_

_"The Proposal"_

Squall never went home that night, and by dawn Raine was ready to call the Search and Rescue team to come find her son. She paced the room just inside the door of the house until Laguna came in and made her sit down.

"I'm sure he's fine. He probably just needs some time to work out his thoughts. You know him. He does this sort of thing." Laguna said, in a weak attempt to comfort her.

"Laguna, after what happened last night, how do you know some angry student hasn't attacked him? You know there are going to be some angry students!" Raine protested. She was so close to breaking down into tears. "I just want my son home safe, Laguna. I don't want anything to happen to him."

Laguna held his wife close. "I know, Raine. I know." She turned and sobbed into his chest as he stared at the door. "Come home, son." He whispered.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa got home at about three in the morning and collapsed in the den. She never made it up to her own room. She was cold, weak, and emotionally wounded. The whole way home she'd cried until she could barely see the road in front of her. When she finally reached her house, she was still crying, and she cried until she fell off into an uneasy sleep on the leather couch in the den.

The sound of her mother's voice woke her. She sat up, groggy, dark hair sticking to her forehead just slightly delusional. It took her a long time just to realize where she was as the den was still relatively dark. Her eyes scanned the room for any other signs of life, and when she was sure there was none, she decided to listen to the sounds of a conversation coming from the kitchen.

"No, no, I haven't told her yet, but I will. I promise!" Her mother laughed into what Rinoa determined to be a phone since she didn't hear another voice besides her mother's. But who was she talking to? That was the question at hand here. Rinoa listened on, hoping to grasp a firmer understanding of this odd conversation. "I don't know what she'll say, but I'm sure she'll be excited. For all I now she probably has a good idea of what's going on. I wouldn't put it past her. She's very bright." Rinoa smiled at this compliment, but it still didn't help her find out what her mother was talking about or who she was talking to, for that matter. She concluded that she'd just have to keep listening.

Her mother's voice went muffled, and Rinoa couldn't hear anything anymore. She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't get very far in the conversation, and she still had no idea what was going on.

The door suddenly opened and Rinoa winced as the light poured in, hurting her eyes. She grabbed a pillow and rolled back over to block out the blinding light.

"Oh, I see you're awake." Julia said brightly. She took a seat beside Rinoa and gently rubbed her back affectionately.

"Hmm," Rinoa mumbled through the pillow. Julia laughed.

"I have some good news and bad news." Julia forced Rinoa to roll over.

"What's up?" Rinoa asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Well, the bad news is that Raine called earlier this morning and said that Squall never came home last night, and he still isn't there. She's really worried and wants to know if you might know where he would be." Julia herself looked worried.

Rinoa's heart sank as she heard the news. "Squall's missing?" She asked.

"Yeah," Julia replied sadly.

Rinoa felt her heart sink as she remembered their conversation last night. She hadn't agreed with it then and she didn't agree with it now. It was stupid, but she knew she had to respect his wishes, but she wondered if he knew that she was willing to deal with his mistakes? They didn't bother her anymore because she knew his intentions were pure. Yes, his mistakes may have wounded her, but given time, they would heal.

Julia watched that all-too-familiar distant look take over Rinoa's face. She gently touched her shoulder. "Where is he, Rinny?" she asked gently.

Rinoa shook her head. "I don't know." She whispered. "Last I saw him was on the secluded cliff last night. We talked and then I left. I haven't seen or heard from him since." She left out the more finer details of the conversation and the fight they had. She knew her mother would disapprove the whole idea.

"So you don't know where he is?" She asked again, now rubbing her daughter's shoulder gently.

"No," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'll call Raine and tell her. He should be fine. he knows how to take care of himself." Julia got off the couch and left the den to find the phone again.

"I'm sorry," Rinoa whispered again. She suddenly got an idea and searched frantically for her phone. She eventually found it and dialed his number. She never got a ring; it went straight to his voicemail. She sighed and tossed the phone onto the other, adjacent couch with disappointment. It was worth a try, even if it didn't work.

She sat there, wrapped in the fleece blanket, shivering again. Where was he? She was worried for him. Where could he be? There were a thousand places he could be, especially since he had a car. He could've, for all they knew, driven back to Esthar. She was sure that the thought had crossed his mind, but that still didn't help anything. No one knew where he was. I was almost as if he'd jumped off the face of the planet, and the real question, "Would be come back?"

"He said he'd be around," she whispered out loud, defending the part of her that still cared for him, but there was more of her, as always, that took over her and declared that her life would be a whole lot better if he did disappear and never came back.

She shook her head, trying to get rid of that thought. It wasn't something that she wanted to be thinking about. She didn't want anything to happen to him, despite all that he had done for her. There were still some good qualities about him, and she knew that his intentions were true.

Rinoa decided that it wasn't worth her time to sit there and mope. She got up, grabbed her phone, and went upstairs for a quick shower. She concluded that, if they were up to it, she and the rest of the gang should help find Squall, but her mom was right, though. He could take care of himself, but it wasn't right to make everyone worry. Plus it was a "just in case."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"How long has he been gone?" Quistis asked as they all sat in Joe's. There weren't many people there, but those who had made it were talking nonstop about the dance last night and how much fun it had been.

"He never came home last night." Bryce replied, stifling a yawn. "We've all been up since last night, and he never came in." He even looked tired, too.

"Let him be! He'll reappear when he feels like it! He used to do this kind of thing all the time in Esthar!" Drag stated. He was sick of everyone worrying about Squall.

"Yeah, but this is different! He's never been gone this long before!" Zion pointed out frantically. Of the entire group, he was the one who had worried the absolute most, proving to be more of a mother hen than perhaps Raine.

"Oh, please! He's been only gone a few hours!" Drag scoffed, wanting to throw something big and harmful at his brother's head.

"But still!" Zion protested, worried for his cousin's safety.

"But still nothing!" Drag yelled, grabbing the first thing in reach, which just happened to be a pillow and threw it as hard as he could in his whiny brother's direction.

Lucky for Zion, he had well-developed reflexes and ducked before it could do major damage to his face. "Hey!" he yelled. "That was unnecessary!"

"No, it wasn't. It was perfectly necessary! You were annoying me, Mother Hen!" drag reached for something else, but Quistis smacked his arm so hard that he recoiled and sat glaring at his brother.

"I am not a Mother Hen!" Zion protested, whining a little bit more.

Rinoa looked to Quistis, "Well, this conversation sounds familiar."

"Yeah! You're right it does!" Quistis laughed and everyone looked at her funny.

"What/" Drag asked.

"That's what Rinny said to me the day we met you guys." Quistis pointed out, explaining it to them. "We were waiting on Seifer to get here, and Rinny kept saying that I was a Mother Hen."

"Hey! I remember that!" Selphie giggled.

Rinoa found herself being pulled out of this now-happy conversation as a thought pushed its way through her head. _Did this mean that this was the end?_ She wondered. Did this conversation re-occur for a reason, to symbolize the end of the group of friends? She hoped not, but couldn't help feeling that it was.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Selphie asked.

"Of course he'll come back! It's not like he's run away! All he's done is gotten away for a few hours! He'll be back. Will you people quit worrying?" Drag demanded.

"He's been gone for over twelve hours!" Zion complained. He kept putting his hand to his mouth and nibbling away at his nails, and it was driving Drag mad.

"As unfortunate as it is," Quistis began. " Zion does have a point. Squall has been gone a pretty long time. Has he ever been gone this long in Esthar?"

"No!" Zion answered as Drag replied at the same time.

"Yes!"

"Okay, which is it?" Selphie asked.

"He's never been gone this long before!" Zion jumped up and began pacing the floor.

"Alright, worrywart Mama! Sit your butt down and quit whining or I'll force you down myself and strap you to your seat with duct tape and super glue your mouth shut!" Drag exploded, his top finally blowing right off. "Is that what you want? Is it?"

Zion's jaw dropped as he stared at his brother in complete surprise and shock. He couldn't remember the last time his bother had ever threatened him like that. He shut his open mouth and sat down, taking his brother seriously. He avoided eye contact after that, not wanting to anger him any more than was absolutely necessary.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Haven't you guys ever heard of brotherly love? You know Peace, Love, and Happiness?" Selphie made a V sign with her fingers and smiled like she was in a daze.

Drag raised an eyebrow at her and just said, "Shut up, ya hippie."

"Fine. Be that way." Selphie crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her tongue out a Drag. "I don't want to be your friend either! You're just a big meanie butt!"

"Oh, I'm hurting inside." Drag's voice was overflowing with a thick sarcasm as he clasped both hands over his heart and feigned extreme pain.

"You'd better be!" Selphie warned, moving her hands to her hips.

"Believe me, Selphie. I'm so scared I'm shaking in my boots." He made a small motion with his foot.

Selphie looked at him in confused state. "But you're not wearing any boots!" She looked down at his feet which were covered by a pair of black, dirty chucks.

"Exactly," he replied with a nasty grin, but Selphie still didn't get it.

"Can we get back to what's more important here?" Quistis asked, sending her famous death glare in the direction of Drag and Selphie.

"We need to find Squall." Zion whispered.

"How can we find someone who's not lost?" Drag demanded.

"Well, he's not here, is he?" Quistis threw at him. If Quistis was fighting in this battle, too, then Drag didn't have a chance. Quistis always got what she wanted.

"That's because he wants to be left alone! Why doesn't anyone understand that?" Drag jumped up, exclaiming nearly at the top of his lungs.

"How do you know that?" Quistis asked, rising up off the couch as well in a way of challenging the headstrong Esthar guy.

"Because, unlike the rest of you people, I know my cousin. I know his habits and what goes through his head." Drag replied definitely.

"You can't know a person until you get directly in their head." Rinoa said, looking up at Drag from her seat.

"true, but I still know my cousin better than anyone in this room." Drag sat back down.

"I beg to differ." Seifer snapped.

"Then where the hell is he?" Drag demanded.

"I don't know." Seifer admitted.

"See, then you can't say you know him!" Drag pointed out.

"But I do know him!" Seifer protested, now standing, too. "And if you know him so well, then you tell us where he is!"

"I don't know either." Drag snapped.

"Then quit saying you know him better than anyone else!" Seifer growled.

"Guys, guys, guys!" Selphie yelled, jumping in between the two guys. "We don't need to be fighting. It's not worth it! Come on guys!" Selphie tugged on Drag's arm, trying to get him out of Seifer's face. She saw Quistis garb Seifer's arm and do the same thing. It wasn't helping much.

'I do know him better!" Drag yelled. "I spend more time with him!"

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Seifer demanded.

"I don't know, are you?" Drag sneered.

"Come on, guys. This isn't worth that!" Selphie was trying as hard as she could to pull Drag back, but he was stronger than she was.

"Seifer, stop this before it gets out of hand!" Quistis commanded, but Seifer wasn't paying any attention to her.

"You tell me." Seifer yelled. People were looking over here now, giving the two feuding guys strange looks.

"Well, smell yourself and find out." Drag barked. That was a lame comeback, and Seifer nailed him for it.

"How about you find some better retaliations!" Seifer ripped his arm out of Quistis' weak grasp, much to her opposition.

"My retaliations are just fine, thank you. It's not like you could do any better!" Drag shoved him, giving way to first physical contact.

"I can and I usually do!" Seifer shoved him back.

"Guys!" Selphie whined, trying to get them to stop.

"This is unnecessary! This unnecessary!" Quistis was yelling.

"Come on, you two boneheads! This isn't going to solve anything!" Bryce was heard from his seat on the couch.

"I know! Sit down and let's get through this rationally!" Zion was heard, too.

All the noises and voices were driving Rinoa crazy. She couldn't think, couldn't hear, and couldn't do anything. Everything was all jumbled together and causing complete pandemonium.

"EVERYBODY, QUIET!" She screamed, louder than anyone else.

Silence hit immediately as everyone stared at her much like they all had the night before. Even people who weren't in their little argument were silent. in fact, all of Joe's was silent.

"We don't need this. This is ridiculous. One of our friends is missing, and nobody knows where he is. I think that is more important than standing here fighting." Rinoa snapped.

"You're right." Seifer frowned. "We should just ask ourselves, what would Ultra Lord do?"

"Say what?" Everyone looked at him in complete shock at what had just come out of his mouth.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "Forget it. We need to get with the program." His cheeks flushed and they still looked at him like he had just spoken gorilla.

"Yeah, we shouldn't be fighting man." Drag agreed. He stuck his hand out at Seifer. "I'm sorry man."

"No problem, we're all stressed out." Seifer took his hand, shook it firmly, and that was the end of it.

"So what now?" Zion asked, once everyone had settled down and conversations had picked up again.

"We've got to find out where he is. We've got to find him." Rinoa said.

"Where do we look?" Zion asked.

"Anywhere and everywhere. There are only so many places he can hide." Rinoa answered. "But we should split up and look for him in pairs."

"This is crazy. He's not lost, and I'm sure he's fine. We don't need to be doing this. He can take care of himself!" Drag exclaimed, still against this whole idea.

"Well, then unless you can show me his exact GPS location, go stick your head in a hole somewhere because you don't know if he's alright. You don't know if someone hasn't hurt him. He could be anywhere in any state, and I don't care if this is completely useless. It means something to me, and I won't feel better unless I know he's really okay." Rinoa replied, biting Drag's head off and making her point clear. A though crossed her mind that she didn't voice: _I've already lost him in one way. I don't want to lose him in another._

_"_No, I can't give you his exact location. I can't even tell you if he's alright. I'm hoping, you might say. I may not agree with this, but I'll help you." Drag sighed, giving in to her.

"You know, there a lot of things that I don't agree with, but I'll deal with them anyway. I can't let them hinder my life." Rinoa snapped. She wasn't trying to be mean.

"Okay." That was all Drag was able to say.

"Where do we look for him?" Selphie asked.

"Anywhere and everywhere." Rinoa repeated.

"We should divide Balamb into sections and each pair take a section and search for him." Quistis suggested.

"How do you even know he's still on Balamb Island? He could've gone to Dollet for all we know!" Drag protested. "Hell, he could be half way to Esthar by now!"

"I don't think he'd go to Esthar," Bryce shook his head. "I mean, where would he go?"

"Where would he go?" Drag asked. "He could walk right into the palace and no one would think anything of it. He could go to Esthar University to Elle. He could go to our house. Mom and Dad would take him in. That's a duh. He could go to any friend's house. There are a million places he could go!"

"We get the point, but I agree with Bryce. I don't think he'd go to Esthar. I think he's still in Balamb somewhere. he's just hiding, and we've got to smoke him out, that's all." Rinoa sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "And I agree with Quistis. Splitting up and looking for him in assigned sections is a good idea."

"How soon should we start?" Zion asked.

"As soon as possible, but first let's see if he's returned home yet." Rinoa pointed to Bryce. "Will you do that?"

"Yeah, sure." Bryce whipped out his phone and called home. He walked out of range of everyone else in order to hear well.

" Zion, I'm putting you and Bryce together as a pair." Rinoa commanded. Zion just nodded. "Quistis, I want you and Seifer to go together." They nodded. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Zell coming over. "Selphie, will you go with Zell if he'll help?"

"Sure, Rinny!" Selphie exclaimed, eager to help.

"Drag, you and I are going to work together. If you don't like it, tough." She was showing no mercy, and Drag suddenly had a lot more respect for her.

"I have no problem." Drag smiled.

"Good." She returned the smile with one that was nothing short of menacing. Bryce came back over, putting his phone back in his pocket. "Anything?"

"Dad said he hasn't come home yet. Mom's still really worried. I think mom's really upset. He said she kept pacing around the room." Bryce replied. He looked worried, too.

"Okay, then we need to get started." Rinoa continued in her command. "Who will take what?"

"Seifer and I will take downtown!" Quistis exclaimed.

"Bryce and I will take the ports." Zion said.

"Zell and I will take uptown and the school." Selphie said as Zell wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Okay, Drag and I will take the woods and the west side, the industrialized section, and town hall." Rinoa said. "Let's meet back here at six, but if anyone finds him before that, call. Okay?" Everyone nodded. "Let's move!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall didn't want to be found. It was that simple. He did not want to be found. he wanted to stay hidden until he was ready to face the rest of the world. He liked being alone. He liked being able to sit and think about all the things that he'd done wrong. He could actually try to work things out without having people interrupt him and telling him that he'd done something wrong.

By around noon, however, he'd fallen asleep in his hiding place. The night before the Formal he hadn't gotten any sleep, maybe five or six hours, and then last night, the night that ruined everything, he didn't sleep at all. He never even went home.

That night was painful, and he would remember that night until his dying day. It was a mistake on his part, and probably the biggest mistake he'd ever made in his life. he'd hurt people and lost a very valuable friendship. Of course, that had been by his own accord. He thought it would be the wisest thing to do. He thought that if they weren't friends, then he couldn't hurt her anymore. It was logic, but wasn't sure if that logic was good or not.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Why are we going to the woods?" Drag asked Rinoa as the two drove in her car to the place.

"Because last night, after the dance, I went back there, and he found me there. I thought he might return there." She shrugged.

"Uh, I don't mean to be a jerk or anything, but do you really think he'd return back here?" Drag asked doubting her intentions. "I mean, it sounds like he doesn't want to be found. So why would he go back there?"

"I don't know, actually." Rinoa looked over at him, now not so confident that she knew where he might be. "I guess I thought he might come back here. It seemed like a good idea before, but now I don't think so. But it's worth a try, isn't it/"

"I suppose. Whatever floats your boat, Rin. But I still stand by what I said before: he doesn't want to be found and probably wants to be left alone for awhile. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing." Drag said to her.

"...I know. I just want to make sure." Rinoa whispered. She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles began to turn white. Drag watched her with a strange expression.

"Why do I feel like you're hiding something? After the dance last night, you should be mad, not concerned. You should be glad that he's missing. What gives?" he asked.

"Nothing. Am I not allowed to be worried?" she demanded as she stopped the car at the end of the muddy road. They exited the car and headed down the trail to the cliff.

"Not when he's done something to majorly upset you and ruin your life. Now what's up? You can tell me." Drag tugged on her arm gently.

She recoiled back and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just concerned, that's all."

"Come one, I'm not that dense. What's going on?" He asked again.

Rinoa sighed, "Okay, listen. Last night we had a conversation that I didn't, and still don't agree with. He left me with more questions than answers, and I just want to talk to him if I can. he wants to walk away, but I refuse to let him."

"Ah, I see. Looks like the plot keeps getting bigger." Drag said in a weak attempt to sound wise.

"It's 'the plot thickens,' dummy!" Rinoa laughed. She then realized that this was the first time in several days that she'd actually laughed.

"Yeah, well. I was close. No, harm, no foul." He said.

"Do you mean the action or the chicken?" she asked jokingly.

But Drag didn't answer her. They'd reached the end of the woods and were now on the cliff. Drag had never been here before and was stricken by the beautiful sight of the sea crashing against the snowy cliff.

Rinoa smiled, but as she looked around, her smile slowly diminished away. he wasn't here, but she wasn't all that surprised. Drag was right. He wouldn't come back here, that was too obvious. yet, she had hoped that he would be here. She wanted to talk to him, to maybe knock some sense into him. This wasn't necessary. They didn't need this separation.

"Whoa!" Drag exclaimed. He had moved to the cliff and was looking over the edge in pure astonished amusement. "How long have you guys kept this place a secret?"

"I never knew it was a secret, but you should see it in the summertime when the sun is setting. It's the perfect spot to be." Rinoa sighed. This was a big dating spot during the summer, and you could always find someone there with a partner.

"Yeah, I bet. Great place to bring a chick, right?" Drag looked over to her and grinned, but she only shrugged and looked away.

Something caught her eye in the ground, and she kneeled down to see what it was. She picked up a slightly dull ring with the carving of some sort of monster on it. "hey, Drag?" she called.

"Yeah?" he was looking out over the water again.

She walked over, carrying the ring and showed it to him. "Look at this." She handed it to him.

She saw Drag's expression change immediately from curiosity to complete shock. "He's been here."

"Who?" Rinoa asked as Drag took her ring and placed it back in her hand.

"Squall."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

They all met back at Joe's at six with no luck. No one had seen hide or hair of him, and some were beginning to even wonder if he was still on the island. Only Drag and Rinoa had managed to scrap up a clue.

"So he left his ring on Lover's Cliff?" Quistis asked, shocked.

"It would appear that way," Zion said, holding the ring up to the light.

"How do you even know it's his?" Quistis demanded.

Bryce jumped up and grabbed the ring from Zion. He walked over to Quistis and showed it to her. "See the carving on it?" she nodded. "It's a lion named Griever. Griever is our family guardian and our symbol. This is Squall's ring because of that and because of the fact that he takes the symbol of our family extremely serious. This has to be his."

"But if he takes it so seriously, then why'd he leave it on Lover's Cliff?" she demanded.

"It was probably just an accident. I don't think he'd do it on purpose." Drag said, snatching the ring from his younger cousin.

"Unless he had a good reason. Maybe he knows that we were going to try to find him." Zion proposed.

"Nah," Drag shook his head.

"That does sound like him, though." Zion said.

"No, I don't think he'd do that because of last night. I really do think we should give him some space. He'll come back when he wants to. Until then," he handed the ring back to Rinoa. "I think you should hold onto this."

"Are you sure?" Rinoa asked. Everyone nodded, and she tucked it safely into her pocket. "Okay."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa stepped into her dark house at about eight. She'd left Joe's knowing no more than she did now. Squall was still gone and no one knew where he was. Drag had advised everyone to stop worrying about him and let him be for a while, but she was still worried regardless. The least he could do was call someone and let them know that he was okay, but he was hidden in his own silence.

"Mom?" Rinoa whispered, peering into the kitchen. She didn't see her in there anywhere and wondered if she was even here. She checked in the garage but her car was still there, so where was her mom?

She looked everywhere but couldn't find her mother anywhere and it was starting to annoy her because now two people were missing, but she was sure that her mother would be back soon. She didn't think her mother would so something so immature like this. So she decided to just wait it out in the den until her mother got home.

When she sat down on the couch, she pulled out Squall's ring. It was a stunning thing, and she admired it a lot, but when she tried it on, it was too big. She inspected it carefully, seeing how it was worn down from everyday use. She liked it and hoped that she could get it back to him. She wanted to at least try to talk to him one more time. She didn't want it to end like this.

The sound of a car door shutting shocked Rinoa. She quickly hung the ring on the chain around her neck with her mother's engagement ring. She then proceeded out of the den to look for her mother. She found her in the kitchen, coming in from the garage.

"Oh, hey honey!" she smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I'm glad you're here. I have something I need to tell you." She moved her daughter to a chair at the table.

"What's going on?" Rinoa asked as her eyes drifted over to the door where she saw her mother's editor and ear friend, John enter.

"Sweetie," Julia suddenly looked very nervous. "Some things are going to change."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was nearing eight o'clock, and Squall still hadn't appeared out of his hiding place. Laguna sat in his office and heard his wife making dinner in the kitchen. He knew that after tonight, something had to be changed. This could not be allowed to happen again. He sighed and headed to the kitchen to talk to his wife. He had to prepare himself for a conversation that he knew would not go well.

"Raine?" he asked, stepping into the kitchen. She was fixing her oldest son's favorite meal: barbeque wings, mash potatoes, gravy and Mac and cheese.

"yes/" she turned to him, wiping her teary eyes.

"Raine, we need to discuss what to do with Squall." Laguna walked to her and touched her shoulder gently.

"What about him?" She asked.

"I don't want him to return to Balamb High School even if he isn't expelled."

"Well, where's he going to go, Laguna?" Raine demanded. "He needs to finish school."

"Yes, but first he needs to learn control and responsibility." Laguna said. "Raine, he needs the same treatment I received."

He watched his wife's face turn pale as she understood the meaning of his words. Her head began to shake before she could find her voice. "No!" she gasped, barely above a whisper "NO, Laguna! Don't do that to my son! Please, no!"

"Raine, I don't think we have much of a choice. He needs to mature. He needs to go to Military School. He'll learn everything he needs to succeed. trust me." Laguna tried to convince his wife but she just kept shaking her head.

"He doesn't need that! He doesn't need that kind of punishment! No, Laguna!" she pleaded with him.

"Raine, will you just listen to me/" he demanded, grabbing her and pulling her out of her hysteria. "It's not punishment; it's a character builder. Raine, we don't have a choice. He's too rouge. He needs to be controlled, and military school will do that for him." Laguna tried to get her to understand, but it was difficult.

"We have other options than that, Laguna! We can't jump to conclusions!" she protested.

"Yes, it is. Raine, if he is expelled from school, do you know how hard it's going to be to get him into another one? Raine, the military institute at Esthar will straighten him out. I promise." He held her hands in his. "I did it, and I turned out just fine."

Raine sighed. "Fine, but if anything happens to my son, I will hold you accountable." Tears began to swell in her eyes again, and Laguna pulled her close to him again.

"Nothing will happen to him. I promise." He whispered to her comfortingly.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7

Outside the kitchen door, three figures were standing in the shadows. Drag, Zion, and Bryce were all listening to every word of the conversation.

"Aw, man!" Bryce whispered, shocked.

"Military school?" Drag asked, his eyes falling to the floor. "No!" he shook his head. As if this night could get any worse.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7

"What?!" Rinoa exclaimed, jumping to her feet, knocking over her chair in the process.

"John and I are getting married, sweetie." Julia smiled, hoping her daughter would be happy for her.

"That's great, but," she shook her head. "Whoa! What a shock!"

"I know, and I'm sorry." Julia stood up and walked around the table to hug her daughter. She received the hug and the two held each other.

"Mom, this is great, but how ill this work? John's life is in Timber, in the big city." Rinoa asked, pulling away.

Julia's face fell a little. "Well, you see, that's the bad news, sweetie." she took a deep breath and forced herself to keep going. "We're selling the house and moving to Timber. We're moving back to Galbadia."

Rinoa's eyes got really wide, and Julia thought she might have gotten away with this cleanly.

And then Rinoa fainted.

* * *

A/N: Well? What'd you think? I know it's not looking too good, but you have to trust me. On second thoughts, it'd be better if you didn't trust me. I'm really not that reliable. Speaking of reliability. Life Less Ordinary's final chapter will be posted on Christmas Eve. "Feel free to bask in my glow!" I love King Julien! R&R and Later Days and Merry Christmas!


	23. The Bad News

I'm really sorry, guys. I've been pretty sick lately. In fact, some dirty monkey gave me the effing flu, so I'm pretty miserable. Hey, guys. I noticed that some of you aren't too happy with what's happening, but don't worry. It gets better…eventually. You have to understand. This story is not a hero story where the guy always gets the girl because life isn't always like that. Sometimes the guy gets the girl, and sometimes he has to work a little harder for it. Squall will get the girl; it's just a question of when he'll get her. Trust me, okay?

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII characters, places, or ideas. All rights reserved to Square.

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

_Chapter Twenty-Three _

_"The Bad News"_

Squall woke up cold and wet. He'd been hidden for hours now, more hours than he'd kept track of, and now, he was ready to go home and face his fears. He knew a lecture would come from his parents and probably hateful words from his friends, but he didn't care anymore. His life was practically over, and nothing else mattered. He wanted nothing more than to go home to his own bed just for a few hours of peace before all hell broke lose on what was left of his pitiful life.

Squall's hiding place had been nothing short of ingenious. It was a place that he was all-too familiar with, no matter where he was. He'd hidden himself under the docks where the only dry spot of sand met the crystal blue water. He'd always found it very peaceful at the water's edge, and it proved to be a place where he could think clearly, but now it was time to return home.

He'd parked his car behind a building a few blocks away from the docks. He was surprised that no one had found him. At one point, he'd heard voices a few hours before that belonged to his brother and Zion. He was sure that they would know where to look for him, but no one ever came to him. He remained in his own solitude, hidden away from life for a few hours.

Driving back to his house was more painful than he had anticipated. He was beginning to have regrets about going home to what he knew would be Hell. He deserved everything that his mother and father would throw at him, but that didn't mean that he was ready to face it. He could take their harsh words and lectures, but he couldn't take the disappointment that they would feel. He'd never wanted to disappoint his parents, but he knew that he had this time.

When he arrived at his house, he just sat in his car for a few minutes, afraid to actually get out and proceed inside. He was sure that they were worried, but he was even surer that they would be mad. But he did it anyways and opened the front door.

The slamming of the front door caused three people to yell and fall across the floor in a tangled heap. Of course, it was Drag, Zion, and Bryce. They all saw Squall and went crazy.

"Squall!" Zion and Bryce yelled, jumping up to hug him, which he repulsed.

"Dude!" Drag pulled him into a great big bear hug. "Where have you been? You had us totally freaked!"

"I've been hiding." He produced a very weak smile that faded suddenly after the kitchen door opened and his mother and father appeared outside.

"Squall!" Raine shrieked, running to hug her son. "My baby!" she wrapped her arms around his neck and nearly squeezed the life out of him.

"Mom, mom!" He choked out, barely. "Mom, choking, not breathing!" she released him and touched his face affectionately.

"I'm glad you're here." She smiled, ears of joy filling up in her eyes. "You had me so worried."

"You had us all worried, son." Laguna said as he walked over and hugged his son as well.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make everyone worry. I just needed to get away for a while. It wasn't intentional. I'm sorry." He looked away, ashamed.

Raine looked to Laguna who motioned that it was time to break the bad news. She frowned and looked to her son sadly. She didn't want to have to do this, but her husband thought it would be best, even if she did not.

"Boys, could you excuse us for a while? We need to speak to Squall alone." Laguna said keeping his eyes trained on his son's face. He saw him become suddenly very uneasy and knew that this would be highly difficult.

Drag, Zion, and Bryce all left, heading to the basement, but they already knew Squall's fate.

Laguna and Raine both waited until they could hear the sound of three sets of footsteps going down the basement stairs before they took Squall into the living room.

"I guess his is where my lecture comes in, right?" Squall asked, uneasy. He sat on he couch. His mother sat beside him and took his hand in hers while Laguna stood.

"No, I don't think you need a lecture. By this point, you've probably had enough lectured." Laguna replied. Squall was shocked at this, as it wasn't at all what he had expected, but he remained silent.

"No lectures, sweetie, only bad news." Raine added, squeezing her son's hand tighter.

"Bad news?" he asked, uncertain. What could honestly be worse than what the Winter Formal had brought him?

"Your mother and I have decided that some things need to change." Laguna began in a stern voice that Squall had never heard him use before. "We have looked back over the past and realized that we have little control over you."

"What your father means to say is you're a little wild and not necessarily a good influence on your brother and cousins. Sweetie, you're a good kid. You're smart, you're talented at what you do, but Esthar has corrupted you, and we need to fix that problem." Raine said, interrupting her husband to explain this more gently to her son.

"I know I've done some stupid things, and I'm not proud of them, but what is this all about?" Squall asked. Whatever this was, he didn't like it.

"Son, I think it's time you set a better example." Laguna said. "We got a call from your Principal."

"I'm expelled, aren't I?" Squall asked, unbothered.

"Yes!" Raine exclaimed as she burst into tears.

"Principal Kramer said that the school board only expelled you because you told your principal that you deserved it. I admire your honesty, but now we have to decide what to do with you." Laguna sighed. "Your mother and I have decided that Military School would be best."

Squall hadn't expected that. He thought that he would be getting a lecture and be yelled at, but this was not what he had anticipated from his parents. "Military school?" he asked, shocked.

"Yes," Laguna nodded. Raine was still crying her eyes out and gripping her son's hand so tightly hat he was beginning to lose circulation.

Squall sighed. "If that's what you think is best."

"We do. Military school will do you a world of good." Laguna was unsure of why Squall wasn't freaking out about this like he had expected.

"When?" Squall asked.

"When I return to Esthar. I've already talked to my friend who runs the school in Esthar and he's willing to take you." Laguna answered.

"You return next week, right?" Squall asked, and Laguna nodded. "Okay." He pulled his hand out of his mother's death grip.

"We leave Wednesday." Laguna added.

"Okay," Squall nodded. He stood. "Anything else?"

His parents shook their heads, and Squall walked out of the room to the basement. He held his shock inside and didn't let his parents see that he was deeply affected. Now hat he was alone, his mask had fallen down, and he was suffering. They were sending him to Military School! He couldn't believe it. He knew that he'd screwed up, but he didn't think Military School was necessary. They were jumping into conclusions too soon, treating him like a criminal and shipping him off to a place worse than boarding school- Military school.

He passed his cousins on the couches, watching some stupid TV show and went straight to his room. He flopped down onto the bed and growled into the pillow in complete aggravation. He then threw the pillow across the room.

"Military School!" he exclaimed, throwing another pillow. "I don't believe it!" He reached again for something else but his hand rested on a thin, flattened piece of paper. Brining it to his attention, he saw that it was a picture of two little children standing in front of an old country cottage. One was a boy, tall and tanned with a goofy smile on his face, and the other was a pale, dark-haired girl with big brown eyes that displayed her happiness more than her smile did. She gripped the boy's arm with both hands, face to the camera. His other arm was outstretched to something out of the picture, but his face was also to the camera.

The picture made Squall smile and recall fond memories of the summers in Win hill when nothing mattered. His heart ached for those days, and he wished for nothing more than to return there where he didn't have to worry about the impending danger of Military School.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa applied the cold ice to the tiny lump now forming on the back of her head, wincing. Her mother and John stood beside her, checking to make sure that no initial harm had come to her.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" Julia asked, lightly touching her daughter's head. "We didn't intend to shock you."

"That was quite a fall there, Rinners." John smiled playfully. "Are you okay? Is there any lasting damage?"

"No," Rinoa said shaking her head. "I just think I killed a few hundred brain cells." She winced again at the pain and gladly accepted the Tylenol her mother placed into her hand.

"Oh, well, that's no bog deal!" John laughed, obviously picking on his soon to be stepdaughter.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ooh!" she groaned, moving the ice to a better-suited area. "I'll be feeling that tomorrow!"

Julia tried to laugh, but she was still very nervous about the news that her daughter had received so suddenly. "Rinny, are you sure that you're okay with all this? I know you really don't want to return to Galbadia, but right now we don't have much of a choice." She played nervously with the hem of her white, cashmere sweater.

"No, no. It's okay. I can't hide from that place forever." Rinoa reassured her doubtful mother. "Just, when are we leaving?"

"Once you're finished with exams." Julia answered. "John and I have been engaged for some time. We just never go up the courage to tell you. We wanted to wait for the perfect moment. I hope you're not mad."

Rinoa shook her head again, "No, I'm not mad. It's fine. I'm happy for you." She attempted a smile and only ended up with a weak version.

"Selphie and Quistis can come over during Winter Break and Spring Break." John added.

"That would be fun, but really! I'm fine with this! It's exciting. It really is!" Rinoa tried to tell them, but they just wouldn't listen. They kept insisting that things would be the same as they were now, just in another city.

After a while, Rinoa was tired of trying to convince hem that she was fine with this new arrangement and retired to her room with the beginnings of a very nasty headache.

She lay on her bed and took Squall's ring off the chain. She held it in her fingers almost as if it were a part of her and inspected it. She hoped that he was either home or safe. She was still very worried about him, but she couldn't'. She was alone; soon to leave Balamb forever, and all she had left was is tarnished, old ring.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"You're MOVING?" Selphie exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Yeah," Rinoa replied sadly as she and Selphie found a seat on a couch in Joe's. School had just ended, and everyone was drained from all the exams. They had only three more days of exams before Winter Break.

"Oh, that sucks." Selphie whined. "I don't want you to go, Rinny."

"I know, Selphie, but I have to," Rinoa opened her soda, avoiding Selphie's eyes. She had made a point to tell her best friend first, but now she was regretting that decision. She hadn't intended on Selphie to take it this hard.

"No, you don't! You can come live with me!" Selphie protested. "You could stow away in my closet."

"I don't think so," Rinoa smiled weakly. "You know you can always come visit me. I'll only be about three hours away."

"Yeah, _only_." Selphie scoffed. She crossed her arms and pouted.

Quistis walked over moments later with Seifer, Drag, Zion, and Bryce. "What's with her/?" she asked, pointing to Selphie.

"She's a little upset because I'm moving." Rinoa replied.

"You're MOVING?" Quistis demanded, her jaw flying open in shock.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Selphie said, rolling her eyes.

Rinoa sighed, "Here we go again."

"When?" Seifer asked.

"After Exam Week." Rinoa was beginning to hate this.

"Well, it looks like everybody's going away," Drag snapped bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest. Zion elbowed his brother o shut him up, but the damage had already been done.

"You guys are leaving, too? No!" Selphie exclaimed.

"No, we're not, Squall is." Seifer replied.

"Is he back?" Rinoa looked up, focusing all her attention on Seifer.

"Yeah, he came back last night." Seifer shrugged.

"Is he okay?" Rinoa asked, now on her feet.

"He's fine. I think." Seifer frowned and plopped onto the couch.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Squall's leaving?" Selphie demanded.

"Yeah, we found out last night," Zion answered, frowning.

Selphie and Quistis exclaimed their protests, but Rinoa remained silent, sinking back down onto the couch. She was bereft of feeling and emotion. Squall was leaving? And she was leaving, too. Was this a sign? Were they not meant to be together?

"When's he leaving?" Rinoa asked.

"Wednesday," Seifer answered in a whisper, sitting beside her.

She shook her head, wondering how she could survive this week, and thoughts of her new life filtered through her brain. She suddenly didn't want to leave Balamb, didn't want to leave her home and her life. Things were just fine the way they were, and she wanted to remain here. This was where she was safe, where she belonged. She was happy here, and they were trying to take her away from her happy place.

"We've gotta stop this! We can't let Rinny or Squall leave!" Selphie exclaimed.

"What can we do, Selphie?" Quistis demanded. "Squall leaves in two days. How are we going to stop him from leaving in two days?"

"Oh, come on! We'll think of something!" Selphie whined. It was hard to blame her for wanting to keep her friends here, but Quistis had a point. There was little that could be done to keep them from leaving in two days.

"Selphie, face it. There's nothing we can do." Quistis threw her hands up in defeat and sat down, sick of this conversation.

"Why is he leaving?" Selphie asked quietly a few moments later.

But they never answered her. Squall had just walked in, and none of them wanted to talk about it any longer. It was too awkward.

"Hey, guys." Squall said with no rest enthusiasm. He looked down, really down and plopped himself onto a vacant couch.

They all fell into an uneasy silence. All of this was putting a damper on the entire holiday. The Winter Break that was coming would not be the same, and none of them were looking forward to it.

It was killing Rinoa; she wanted to talk to Squall. He was so close to her, but she couldn't get to him, not while everyone was around. They needed to talk, but that couldn't happen right now. She would have to wait for the perfect time and hope that it would be before Wednesday.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After a while, Rinoa just couldn't take the torture and go up to leave. "See you guys later. I've got a lot of stuff to do, so yeah." She shrugged and just walked out, feeling no better than she had earlier.

She was halfway to her car when someone grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned around to find Squall standing there, still holding her arm.

"Wait a second," squall said.

"What?" she didn't look at him in the face but focused on his shoulder. She wasn't strong enough to face him just yet, but that didn't mean they couldn't talk.

"I guess you've heard," he whispered, looking away, too.

"Yeah, you're leaving," she didn't like where this conversation was going. "But why?"

"They expelled me," he could barely speak now.

Rinoa turned her head and looked him in the face now. "What?"

"Kramer and the School Board expelled me. I deserved it." He whispered. "I told them to…"

"No!" she gasped. "Squall this isn't fair! What are you going to do?"

The words were difficult to get out, but he managed to somehow. "…Military School." He replied, forcing it.

Rinoa couldn't speak. She could only stare at Squall in shock and disbelief. Her head managed to start moving, shaking to let him know her opinion.

"I'm sorry," he released her arm. "I told you nothing good would ever become of me."

He walked away, ashamed and leaving her standing there just like always, but this time he was leaving for good.

* * *

A/N: I hope you guys like this story and aren't too mad at me. I know it may seem like something is terribly wrong, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve, so trust me. It's not over till the fat pencil sings. Wait! Can a pencil sing? I dunno. It'll be something that I'll have to investigate. R&R. Later Days! 


	24. Decisions

Once again, here I am with another update. I am so sorry that I didn't fulfill my promise. I tried so hard, but I wasn't expecting to get the flu. This was not how I planned to spend my Winter Break. I'm going to try my best to get this finished as soon as I can. After all, with a strict order of bed rest for the next 3 days, I have a lot of time to kill and a whole stack of video games to beat. So if I fall a little behind, you guys wouldn't really hunt me down, would you? I hope not. After all, this is the season of joy and goodwill to others. I really don't want to die.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII characters, places, or ideas. All rights reserved to Square.

**_Life Less Ordinary_**

_Chapter Twenty- Four _

_"Decisions"_

Thirty- three hours to go. That's all he had left in this tiny scrap of a town, but he soon realized that he didn't want to leave. He wanted to finish up the school year and graduate from a decent school that wasn't filled with big-city corruption, but he'd blown up that opportunity. He had the perfect chance to make his life as normal as possible in a normal high school with great friends and a sexy girlfriend, but he'd blown that chance into a million, incoverable pieces.

It was three o'clock in the morning, and he was wide awake, thinking like he always did and having too many bad thoughts hat always seemed to get him into a world of trouble.

But this time, something was different. He wasn't mat at anyone, sad in anyway, or hopelessly entranced. In fact, he felt no emotion at all. For someone who would soon be forced to attend a gruesome, horrible Military School, like he was quite content, and he wasn't quite sure why. He was more than sure that this odd effect would wear off, and he'd be hit with the enraging force of being abandoned by everyone around him. He didn't want to feel that way because he knew that all of this was his fault. He'd brought this all onto himself, and, oddly enough, he had little regrets.

The whole ordeal had been fun and entertaining until he'd gotten caught. When he looked back on it, his entire time spent here in this backwater town had been fun. The people here were wonderful and accepting. It was a whole world apart from Esthar, where crime and corruption haunted every shadowed alley and every street corner. It was there that he'd involuntarily obtained his "bad boy" image, but here, he could just be himself and didn't have to prove himself in any way to anyone. He liked having that kind of freedom and was remorseful that he'd done something so stupid to have to be forced out of this picture-perfect place.

Of course, the expulsion had been by his own accordance. He had blandly told the principal that he would take expulsion. He'd clearly stated that he deserved it, too. It was only natural that he was expelled. If he'd believed that he was totally innocent and argued in his defense, then maybe he wouldn't be in this situation. He could've saved himself like he did Seifer. If only…but he hadn't. He'd willingly choose to be expelled. Why? Because he knew that it was the right thing to do. He couldn't lie to save his own skin and then be done with it. It just didn't work that way. He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he'd lied and tried to fight for his "freedom." He'd never been imprisoned, so he had no need to try to obtain something he already had.

Squall was certainly getting sick of this ongoing battle within his mind. His head and his heart were trying to tear him in two, fighting for a common cause but under different circumstances. He was done trying to convince himself of something he already knew.

He was currently lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in the dark, at 3 in the morning. He'd woken up so many times that he thought it to be completely useless to attempt to go back asleep.

He eventually got tired and stood up, determined to get this all off his mind. He walked out of his room. The game room outside his bedroom was dark and silent. He leaned against a couch, eyes running over everything. Memories popped into his mind, reminding him of all the times he and his cousins had down here. He smiled at the thoughts as they crossed his mind. He knew that he would miss this place, but now he knew just how much he'd miss it.

He lingered only a few minutes longer against the couch before moving over to the drum set and bass guitar. This was the end of Grimm's Defeat. He knew that, but he would still remember. His smile grew wider as he thought of the concert part of the Winter Formal when the water was coming down all over them, and people were totally getting into the music. That had probably been the best show they'd ever done, even if it was really short.

His fingers drummed lightly on a symbol and he smiled at the sound. Being in a band had brought the four guys close together, forming a bond that Squall feared would now be broken once he left.

He tried not to think that way, but it was difficult. Just the idea of military school forced bad thoughts into his head, so imagine what would happen after he was actually inducted.

"I figured you'd still be up." A voice spoke to him from behind. He turned his head to find his father standing at the foot of the stairs, gripping the handrail, eyes fixed on Squall. He sensed something in his father. Was that fear?

"Yeah," he felt his face heat up and knew the anger was coming.

Laguna sighed and walked over to his son, but Squall turned his back on him, coldly. He should've known that was coming.

"Look, I know you're angry, but-" he started until Squall turned around to lash out.

"Angry?!" he demanded. "Dad, I'm beyond angry. I'm furious because you and mom have made me out to be some monster, and now you're sending me off to Military School! You have no idea what I'm feeling!"

"You have to understand our side of things, son. You haven't exactly been a complete angel, you know. After all, you were EXPELLLED!" Laguna boomed.

"The only reason why they expelled me was because I told them to," Squall snapped. "You don't have to send me to Military School. Just send me back to Esthar High. They'll take me. After all, they take druggies."

"I will sooner send you back to boarding school than that vile place. You learned nothing there except how to get into trouble. Hat place should be shut down." Laguna retaliated.

"You're the President! DO SOMETHING!" Squall barked, losing his patience.

"Oh, believe me. I am, starting with you." Laguna crossed his arms over his chest and gave Squall a death glare.

'Oh, what more could you possibly do to make my life worse?" he demanded, sensing hostility.

Laguna's face softened, "Son, I'm not trying to make your life worse. I'm just trying to give you a good future."

"Oh, yeah, you're doing a great job." Squall said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Well, at least I'm trying, which is more than I can say for you." It was Laguna's urn to be sarcastic.

"What do you expect me to do? I'm 18! I'm practically still a kid! I have my whole life ahead of me! I'm just having a little fun before it's all over!" Squall exclaimed.

"Squall, if this is your idea of fun then you need a new definition!" Laguna sighed. " Son, you're throwing away your future this way. That's why your mother and I think Military School is just what you need."

"I don't need Military School! I'm not like you! I have no need to attend boot camp and pick fights with other countries. I'm not a soldier, and I'm not soldier material." Squall shook his head.

"That's not the point, son, but I do have another option for you." Laguna wrung his hands nervously. Squall looked to him, waiting for him to continue. "You could take Military School, or you could accept the Grand Council's offer."

Squall's eyes shot up, and he looked at his father curiously. "Which is?"

"The Grand Council offered you a proposition on your 18th birthday and you have yet to reply." Laguna answered. Squall just shook his head. "Ugh! They said that if you accept, they're willing to re-establish the Estharian Throne."

"They have the power to do that?" Squall asked, slightly amused.

"Stay focused!" Laguna snapped, irritated. "Would you?"

"What would I have to do?" Squall asked, sighing.

"Does that mean you'll do it?" Laguna wondered, surprised.

"No, that means 'what would I have to do?"' Squall rolled his eyes again.

"Don't get smart," Laguna warned. "You'd have to be crowned and learn how to rule the country, which means a private tutor will have to come and you'd have to finish school and possibly do a college crash course. It'll be tough."

Squall fell silent as he thought about his options. Ruling a country would mean infinite responsibilities and being confined within the borders of Esthar and having big, tough goons following his every move. Going to Military School gave him a few more options, but either way he was still confined to Esthar, just under different terms.

"I'll have to think about it. It's not something I can just decide on impulse. I'll let you know tomorrow." Squall walked to his room, not waiting on a reply from his father.

Laguna let him go, knowing he could get no more out of the boy. This was Squall's choice, and he could only hope that he'd make the right one.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa slammed her bedroom door behind her as hard as she could, and then threw herself onto her bed, sending pillows and stuffed animals flying.

"Military School!" she moaned into the bed. "What a bunch of bull!" Rinoa didn't know if she believed him or not. What are the odds that his parents would actually ship him off to Military School just because he got into a tiny, little scrape? She didn't think so. And both of Quistis' parents and her mother were on the School Board, and she doubted if they would choose to expel him. Rinoa decided it was time to do some investigating.

"What are you doing, Rinny?" Julia asked as Rinoa rummaged through a desk in the den.

"Mom! You're on the School Board, right?" she exclaimed, wasting no time.

"Well, yes, but why the sudden interest?" Julia asked.

"Did you go to the last meeting about the Winter Formal?" she demanded.

Julia's face suddenly became very hard. "Now, Rinoa, you know I can't give you any information concerning our meetings."

"Mom! This is important!" Rinoa objected. "All I need to know is if Squall was expelled or not."

Julia looked at her daughter as if she didn't understand plain English. She cocked her head and just stared at her. "What?"

"Was Squall expelled?" Rinoa asked again.

"We didn't even say Squall's name once. Why?" Julia was so confused now.

"Would Mr. Kramer expel Squall without consulting the School Board?" Rinoa asked.

"No, of course not! He doesn't have that kind of power." Julia answered.

Rinoa's eyes suddenly grew very large. "He lied!" she exclaimed and raced out of the room before Julia could even get a word in edgewise.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Quistis was already waiting for Rinoa at Joe's before she even called her. She'd found out long before Rinoa and had called Selphie, Seifer, Drag, Zion, and Bryce. Everyone was at Joe's waiting for Rinoa to get there. They had now less than 24 hours to go, and they still needed to formulate a plan.

"Rinny!" Selphie exclaimed, seeing her enter the building. She waved her over.

"Hey, guys! Listen, Squall-" Rinoa started until Quistis cut her off.

"Wasn't expelled." She finished. "Yeah, I found out this morning. He's only suspended until the end of the week."

"Which means he lied!" Rinoa exclaimed, furious.

"Not quite." Seifer answered.

"What do you mean?" Rinoa demanded.

"Mom and dad told him he was expelled." Bryce replied.

"He didn't lie to us; he was lied to!" Drag said.

"So we've got to do something! We can't let them ship him off to Hell!" Selphie said.

"Yeah, but what's the point? I'm leaving, too." Rinoa said sadly, dropping down into a chair.

"Remember the whole closet thing?" Selphie asked, a strange, wild gleam showing in her eyes.

Rinoa didn't say anything but laughed.

"Look, we may not be able to keep Rinny here, but at least we know she's going to be safe. We can't guarantee that for Squall. Military School is no picnics. Trust me, I've heard stories." Seifer said with a slight shudder.

"And I'll always come by and visit you guys whenever I can. It'll be fine, but if Squall goes away to Military School. We may never get to see him again." Rinoa added. "And I don't want to see him turn into a war fiend like my father. Believe me, it's not worth it. He's better off away from all that."

"So to save one friend, we have to sacrifice another?" Selphie asked. "That doesn't seem at all fair."

"Maybe so, but if we can save Squall, we can save Rinoa, too." Zion said.

"Still…" Selphie whined.

"Well, we have to make the choice now." Quistis commanded. "Do we help Squall or not?"

"We help him, of course!" Drag exclaimed, and everyone nodded.

"Yeah, but will he listen?" Rinoa asked, and they all fell silent.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall had been wrestling with his two options all night, and he still didn't have a decision yet. No matter how he looked at it, neither was really good. If he helped the Grand Council re-establish the throne, then he'd be making all kinds of global enemies, but if he chose to go to Military Scholl, he'd still have those enemies to deal with, but this time he'd have to face them with weapons and dirty fighting. He really didn't care for either, but it didn't look as if any other options would suddenly pop up. He was stuck with these two.

So what to choose? Right now that was the question that needed to be answered. Military School or re-establishing the Estharian Throne? The most obvious choice was right in front of him, but that was a rode he really didn't want to travel down. The other was even less desirable.

He lay on his bed, throwing a ragged, old ball up in the air and catching it again. He found this a good way to think but this time he wasn't having much luck, and that annoyed him. To anyone else, this was an easy decision but for him, it was more difficult. This was the fork in the road for him. This was where he chose what would determine how the rest of his life went.

"Oh, this sucks!" He exclaimed, throwing the ball at the wall as hard as he could. It bounced back and came flying at his head. He wasn't paying attention and was smacked right in the noggin. "Ow!" he muttered and rubbed his sore head.

He held up the ball and looked at it closely. "No matter where I throw I, it bounces back." It took him a moment, but he finally got it, smiling for the first time.

"Bingo!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Mom! You have to do something!" Rinoa exclaimed, running into the kitchen where her mother

was preparing lunch.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Julia laughed. "Where's the fire, honey?"

"Mom! Raine and Laguna are going to send Squall to Military School because of what happened at the Winter Formal! You've got to talk them out of it!" Rinoa exclaimed, all in one breath.

"Rinoa, I can't. That's their decision, and I can't interfere with what _they_ decide for _their_ son. It's just not right." Julia replied, wiping her wet hands on the dishtowel.

"No, what's not right is that they're sending him to become a prototype like Caraway. You know that's what he'll turn into! He'll lose all emotion, all feeling, and he'll only be concerned about conquering the enemy! That's not right!" Rinoa snapped bitterly.

"Rinoa Julia Heartilly! Watch your mouth!" Julia exclaimed harshly.

"Well, it's true and you know it! He's never cared about us! They only thing he's cared about is his job and how he can take out his foes! He only cares about Galbadia! He could care less about us!" Rinoa countered.

"If he didn't care, then why'd he call this morning to ask for you to return home?" Julia demanded, angrily.

Rinoa's jaw dropped. She hadn't expected this. "What?"

"Your father called this morning and said that after this semester, he would like for you to return to the mansion and finish school at Galbadia Academy." Julia answered, forcing out a weak smile. She couldn't say that she agreed with this, but then again, she really didn't have a choice.

"He said that? Are you sure?" Rinoa asked, suspicious.

"Yes, he said it."

"Wow! After over four years, he's ready to take me back? What kind of game is he playing, and how stupid does he think I am?" Rinoa demanded.

Julia hated to side with her ex-husband, but she just couldn't let Rinoa pass up this opportunity. "Rinoa, will you cool it for just a second? You're father is willing to pay full tuition for you to attend Galbadia Academy. It's one of the best schools in the world! I can't offer you that."

"Yeah, but he can't bribe me like that! It's just not fair!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"Just promise me you'll think about it. Alright?" Julia asked, nearly begging.

"Fine," Rinoa left the room, madder than she had been from the start.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was Rinoa's turn to sit on her bed, struggling to make a choice with her life. Galbadia Academy or Timber? She'd take the Academy in a heartbeat if it weren't for one major problem: her father. He was only offering this great deal because he obviously wanted something, but what? What could he possibly want that she apparently had? It didn't make any sense, and that annoyed her. He had an angle, but she couldn't see it.

Was it the fact that she was happy? Or maybe that her mother was remarrying? Whatever it was, she needed to figure it out and fast. He'd want an answer soon.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Squall stood outside his father's office. He didn't want to have to be doing this, but it looked like he had little choice. He knocked, tentatively, and waited for a reply. When one didn't come, he went in anyway. Laguna was sitting at his desk, talking on the phone with someone. He waved to Squall and then pointed to a chair in front of his desk. Squall nodded, sat, and waited patiently for his dad to get off the phone.

It didn't take very long, luckily. Laguna hung up the phone and then turned to his son. "That was the Grand Council. They eagerly await your answer and hope that you see things their way." Laguna smiled, but Squall shrugged.

"I'm not going to help them." He said, strongly.

"What?" Laguna was actually surprised. "So you'll take Military School?"

"I guess. It's the only option left." Squall wasn't happy about this, but he'd brought it on himself and he would find a way out of it.

"True, but don't you think it would be better to help your country?" Laguna asked.

"I'll be helping my country in another way, blowing up the enemy. It's the best thing for me, remember?" Squall challenged.

Laguna sighed, realizing he may have made a mistake. "Before this is all over, you're going to make me eat my words, aren't you?"

"Possibly, I'm crafty like that." A small smirk appeared on his face. It was a smirk of triumph.

"That's why the Council wanted you to re-establish the throne. You would've made a great ruler for Esthar." Laguna was still trying to get him to change his mind.

"Sorry, but that's not my kind of thing." Squall shrugged again.

"Are you sure?"

"Listen, you gave me a choice, and I picked which one I wanted! If you wanted me to take a specific one then why offer me a choice?" He demanded, now on his feet. "I picked the one that would keep me out of trouble the most. If you don't like it, then deal with it. It's my life. And I'm taking what I've got and what's less of a death sentence."

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just want you to understand what's out there. You have a bright future ahead of you, and I want you to have what's best." Laguna said, trying to avoid any costly family wars.

"If you wanted me to have what's best, then you wouldn't have offered my two crackpot choices, and you would have let me choose for myself. But that's not what you did, is it?" He sneered.

"There's no need to get hostile. Sometimes you need a little push."

"Or a shove into an early death, as I see it." He snapped.

"Maybe you need your eye sight checked." Laguna advised.

"Whatever. I told you my choice, and I'm not changing my mind." With that he left, leaving Laguna all but disappointed. He watched his son leave the room and the reached for the phone once again to call the Council to let them know Squall's decision.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rinoa still didn't know what to do. She sat up in her room, struggling to decide what she should do with the rest of her life. It was either attending a top-notch school and having a big, wonderful life, or going to Timber and going to mediocre school and struggling to be great. Heck, she wasn't even sure what she wanted to do after school. She honestly hadn't thought ahead that far. She wanted to enjoy life as it was right now, and not worry about the future until she absolutely had to.

But now she needed to think ahead. There were only a few days left to decide what she wanted to do with her life, and she had no idea. It wasn't really anything she had put much thought into. Of course, just the idea of being able to attend Galbadia Academy excited her, but she didn't want to have to deal with her father, and she loved Timber. It had always been a place she liked to visit, and it was her mother's birthplace, so it had sentimental value. But that still didn't leave her with a choice. Both sides had their good points and their equally bad. She just didn't know which would benefit her better, and she also didn't know if her father was serious enough to try and force her to return to Deling City.

"Still trying to decide?" Julia asked, stepping into the dark room to take a seat beside her daughter on the bed.

"Yeah. I just don't know what to do. Both look so good…and bad." Rinoa sighed.

"As much as it pains me to say, I think you should take your father up on his offer. You can't pass up an opportunity to attend Galbadia Academy." Julia said. She never sided with Caraway, so this was new to Rinoa, and it had her suspicious.

"I want to, but I don't want to go back there. I don't want to go there vulnerable and let him hurt me again." Rinoa shuddered at the thought, and Julia wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"Don't worry. I can promise you that he won't hurt you. He'll be away on new projects in Centra, so you won't see much of him. You'll be safe, and you know that I'm only a phone call away." Julia promised.

"I know, but still…. It's scary."

"Well, you have to make a decision soon. There isn't much time left." Julia let go of her and headed to the door.

"Mom?" Rinoa called. She stopped and turned to face her. "I'm going to take dad's offer."

* * *

A/N: Well, one down, one to go. I haven't much to say; I'm still pretty sick, but I do have one thing, er, two to say. First, thank you all so much for the reviews you've given me throughout the whole thing. I really appreciate it. This story wouldn't be where it is right now if it weren't for you guys always on my to update. Thanks for your patience and support. The last thing I want to say is that some of you have hinted that you want a sequel, and I'm considering it, but it'll take a lot of convincing for me to make a sequel, so if you want it, let me know! R&R and Later Days! (Yes Seifer will say it soon!)


	25. Last Goodbyes

Well, here it is, the last chapter of Life Less Ordinary. I know, I know. It's hard to believe, but it's true! The ending is here….almost. It's possible that in the future there will be a sequel, but the future is awfully clouded. Insert evil smirk here. Read on!

Disclaimer: For 24 Chapters I have said that I do not own anything associated with Final Fantasy VIII. Believe me, by now I still do not own it. And I also do not own "Everytime." It belongs to Britney Spears.

**_Life Less ordinary_**

_Chapter Twenty- Five _

_"Last Goodbyes" _

They failed.

It was the harsh truth, but it was the truth all the same. They failed. Squall was going away, and they could do nothing to stop it.

Well, of course they failed. They didn't have enough time or the proper technique to figure out a way to keep him here, and it seemed that his parents were set in their ways and weren't going to change their minds just because a few friends objected. But then they learned that Squall was going to go along with this whole crazy idea. He was going to Esthar, despite their efforts to keep him here, and he was going willingly.

It was noon on Wednesday, and everyone was standing outside Squall's home, waiting to say goodbye. Well, everyone but Rinoa, that is. She had yet to show, but Squall doubted if she's even come.

"Squall, we're really sorry. We tried." Quistis said, hugging him.

Selphie stood beside her, crying her eyes out, and Squall felt like he had to console a little child. She seemed to be the one most affected by this whole thing. She was losing everything, and it was just like a domino effect. When one piece falls, the others eventually go until nothing was left standing. So she had to ask, who would be left?

"It's okay, Quistis. I made my choice and I'm sticking to it. It's my way of defiance. No need to worry about me." He replied. "No biggie." He moved over to Selphie and hugged her tightly. She continued to sob and muttered some inaudible words. Squall knew he was going to miss Selphie even though she drove him crazy.

"Man! This reeks! Are you sure there isn't anything else we can do?" Zell asked. Like Selphie, he hated to see the gang split up like this.

"No, don't worry about it. I'll find a way out of it. It's just going to take some time. If I caused trouble here, just wait till you see what kind of damage I do over there." Squall smiled wickedly. He leaned against the car and waited for his father, who wasn't ready quite yet.

"Ha, ha, ha! I hate to see what you do!" Drag laughed. "But I'll probably be joining you soon enough!" Everyone glared at him, and he shut up quick.

Squall caught their hostility. "Look, guys. We all knew this was coming. It'll be okay. Don't be so glum." He tried to make this less depressing than it already was. It didn't work.

"Squall, we can' help it. Everyone's leaving. This place has lost it. Of course, we're going to be glum." Quistis answered.

"Yeah, that's pretty much hitting the nail on the head." Seifer agreed. "It seems like you just got here, and now you're leaving." He sighed.

"I know, but we'll meet again sooner or later. You can count on it." He promised. They nodded, but no one said anything.

Laguna appeared at the front door, carrying a few bags of luggage. "Ready?" He asked Squall.

"Well, I guess this is it." Squall sighed.

"There's got to be another way!" Selphie cried out, leaping to Squall and hugging him tightly.

"Give it up, Selph. We tried, and we failed." Quistis snapped. "Horribly."

Squall offered a weak smile and pried Selphie off him but did nothing more.

"Well, is Rinny going to at least come and say goodbye?" Selphie demanded.

"I doubt it." Squall answered sadly.

"Well, son. It's time to go." Laguna motioned to the car.

Squall nodded and turned to his friends. "Bye." He said weakly.

"Bye, Squall. We'll miss you." Quistis said, hugging him again.

"Yeah, don't forget us, 'kay?" Selphie moved in to hug him, too.

"I won't. I can't." he said, smiling, forcibly.

"Bye, man. See you this summer. I guess." Zion said.

"Yep, or see you at the Military School." Drag laughed again.

"Bye, bro." Bryce shrugged and shook his brother's hand, which was very awkward to do.

"Later Days, man!" Seifer and Squall did their handshake one last time before Squall hugged him and said goodbye. He walked slowly to the car, dreading every step and was about to get in when he heard something.

"Wait!" Rinoa ran over to the car, out of breath. "Wait!"

_Notice me, take my hand_

Squall turned to look at her, sweaty and barely breathing but he went to her anyway.

"You know, this means you broke your promise." Rinoa said, trying to remain calm.

"I know. Would sorry help." He asked.

"No, not really." Rinoa cracked a tiny smile as he came closer.

Everyone watched silently, smiles appearing on faces as it became apparent that these two had strong feelings for one another, and they deserved their moment.

He shrugged playfully. "Well, I tried."

_Why are we strangers when _

_Our love is strong _

_ Why carry on without me? _

She literally threw herself into his arms and he held her tightly against him, not wanting to ever forget this feeling.

_Everytime I try to fly, I fall _

_Without my wings, I feel so small _

"I'm sorry." She whispered into his chest, fighting tears.

"It's okay, it's okay." He rubbed his hand up her back, fighting his own tears.

_I guess I need you, baby _

_And everytime I see you in my dreams _

_I see your face, it's haunting me _

_I guess I need you, baby_

"I can't let you leave." She whispered, keeping him closer still.

"I have to," he replied, cringing at the thought that he probably won't see her again.

"…I still have your ring." She whispered pulling back.

He looked at her strangely.

_I make believe that you are here _

_It's the only way I see clear _

_What have I done? _

_You seem to move uneasy _

She pulled it out from under her shirt. It was still attached to the chain. He stared at for what felt like a long time.

_And everytime I try to fly, I fall _

_Without my wings, I feel so small _

_I guess I need you, baby _

She started to take it off the chain, but he stopped her. Taking both her hands in his, he shook his head. "No."

"Why not? It's yours." She cocked her head, curiously.

"Because I want you to keep it. I want to you to think of me." He answered.

_And everytime I see you in my dreams _

_I see your face, you're haunting me _

_I guess I need you, baby _

'I will," she breathed out, barely.

"Don't forget me." He pulled her to him again.

"It'll hurt, but I won't." she buried her face in his chest again, letting the tears fall.

"For what I've done, I'm sorry." He whispered.

"No, I started it,"

_I may have made it rain _

_Please forgive me _

_My weakness caused you pain _

_And this song's my sorry_

"No," he pulled away and she saw the tears that filled his eyes, too. It broke her heart. "I hurt you too many times."

_At night I pray _

_That soon your face will fade away_

"Forgive and forget." She smiled weakly.

"Forget what I did, but don't forget me, and don't forget that…." He pulled her back again, never wanting to let go. "I love you."

"I won't!" she whispered, bawling. "I can't! Not now!"

"Good," his voice cracked through his own tears.

_And everytime I try to fly, I fall _

_Without my wings, I feel so small _

_I guess I need you, baby_

"So I'm just supposed to let you go?" she asked, moving her head to look up at him.

"I guess that's the way it's supposed to be," he replied sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Not forever. Maybe just for now, but not forever. I can promise you that." She replied, shaking her head.

Squall finally pulled away. It was time to say goodbye.

Rinoa shook her head. "No!"

"I have to. You know that." He wiped her tears with his thumb and kissed her one last time. It was a long kiss, and one now that he will never forge and neither will she.

_And everytime I see you in my dreams _

_I see your face, you're haunting me _

_I guess I need you, baby_

Rinoa let go and watched him get into the car through blurred eyes. Quistis and Selphie came to stand beside her, to comfort her.

The car started, and then they drove off down the road. Just like that. He was gone.

Rinoa turned around and pushed through her friends and walked down the road to her house. She looked down, tears still fresh in her eyes as a small rock came into focus. The sound of the car driving off filled her ears and yet the rock was all she saw.

So she kicked it as hard as she could.

* * *

A/N: Yep. That's it. It's over. I actually rather liked this ending and I hope you guys did, too. R&R and Later Days!

Oh, and I'm not a fan of Britney Spears, but this song is one of my favorites even if the artist isn't, and it was perfect for this chapter so if you don't like the choice, tough. I didn't see you spending over 9 months writing it.


End file.
